July 4 Puget Sound Traffic Will Be Worst Late At Night: Report

SEATTLE, WA - Usually, driving around Puget Sound late at night on a weekday isn't so bad. But over the July 4 holiday, it's just about the worst time to drive.

Google recently analyzed traffic data to see what time traffic peaks during Independence Day. In every major city around the U.S., traffic is worst close to midnight on July 4 - likely because everyone is heading home from a fireworks show or other celebration.

According to the data, the best time to drive on July 4 in the Seattle area is between 4 and 6 a.m. If you can't get up that early, try to leave sometime later in the morning. Traffic will be bad starting around 3 p.m., if you're heading to a big fireworks show. To avoid the post-show traffic, try to hold off on driving until 11 p.m. or later on July 4.

Here's what traffic looked like in 2017 in big cities around the country (notice how bad Seattle is late at night):

Images by Neal McNamara/Patch, Google Maps