AAA Says 72 Million Americans Will Travel This July 4th—and Your House Is Vulnerable on Vacation

AAA projects 72.2 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Independence Day between June 27 and July 5, exceeding last year's record of 71.8 million travelers. This significant increase in travel, especially for the nation's 250th birthday, means many homes will be left unattended, raising concerns about security and potential damage. Jen Wilbert, assistant vice president of property portfolio at Travelers Insurance, emphasizes the importance of creating a plan to maintain the appearance that someone is home to deter burglars. She advises using automatic timers or smart lightbulbs to control lights remotely and installing motion-sensitive outdoor lighting, noting that such measures can be the difference in a home being targeted by thieves. Wilbert also stresses the need to maintain everyday home-maintenance activities, such as having mail collected and packages retrieved by a neighbor. Furthermore, she suggests arranging for lawn mowing to avoid signaling that the home is vacant and asking a neighbor to put out trash bins on collection days, as an unkempt lawn can also attract burglars.