Fourth of July is right around the corner, and we’re in for record-breaking holiday traffic. Some 71 million people are expected to travel over 50 miles during the week — the most on record.

I don’t mean to be a downer, but record-setting travel also means record-setting accidents, crashes and road rage. And being a defensive driver isn’t the only way to protect yourself on the road.

You should have a dashcam

Imagine if this happened to you. An Oklahoma City driver laid on his horn when an SUV started drifting in his lane. Things escalated quickly. The SUV driver swerved to block the honking driver, then pulled a gun and shot him.

Thankfully, the victim made a full recovery and his dashcam recorded it all. Police identified and arrested the gunman, and justice was served thanks to that footage.

I’ve said it for years: The police have dashcams for good reason, and you should, too. They record what happens in front of your car, behind your car and in your car.

Key cam considerations

Let’s start with the obvious: The ability to record footage. If you’re in an accident and not at fault, it’s easier to prove if you have it on tape.

Better dashcams can detect crashes and send out an emergency response, and some can even notify you with a beep if you stray from your lane. Nice upgrade for an older car! Some also have parking mode with break-in sensors that sound an alarm and record the whole thing.

🔏 Privacy tip: Pay attention to the user agreement no matter what model you buy. Opt out of anything you can, like third-party sharing.

These 3 dashcams check my important boxes

You want a dashcam that comes with a mount, records in high-def (at least 1080p), has night vision built in, has an app you can use to check your footage, a wide-angle lens and built-in GPS. Here are three that fit the bill:

• Nextbase 622GW ($346): This model has intuitive controls and shoots 4K video. It’s got Alexa, image stabilization (when roads are bumpy) and night vision. Love this feature: The camera auto-detects light levels for better footage, and an extreme weather mode makes it easier to drive on foggy days.
• Thinkware X1000 ($199.99): It has a big 3.5-inch touchscreen, a crisp camera, night vision with advanced low-light tech, and front and rear cams that record in 2K. Parking mode keeps an eye on your car when you’re not in it, too.
• Nexa Pro ($189.95): This slick dual-camera model records video inside and outside of your car. It has GPS data tracking and will alert you if someone tries to break in. The Nexa Pro records in HD and auto-records short clips if you slam on the brakes or collide with something. It’s 34% off right now!

This is one time in life you don’t want to cheap out. Have a friend road-tripping this summer? Share this tip using the buttons below. Their insurance premiums will thank you.

😂 I went on a fantastic road trip with my friend in his Honda. We just agreed on everything: What to eat, where to stay, what to see and do. We were of one Accord. (Oh, was that a groan I heard, or are you just hungry?)

Live your best life with Hear.com‘s ultra-discreet, high-powered hearing aid. This isn’t just any hearing aid. It’s one of the world’s fastest dual-processing devices, designed to separate speech from background noise delivering crystal-clear clarity. Plus, Hear.com’s devices are rechargeable and Bluetooth-capable, so you can stream music and phone calls directly to your hearing aids.

When it comes to your hearing, you want a company you can trust. Hear.com has …

• An A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau
• 4.9 out of 5 stars from Consumer Affairs
• Over 80% five-star reviews on Trustpilot

These hearing aids are nearly invisible, tucked inside or behind your ear. No more bulky, uncomfortable devices, just perfect hearing without the fuss.

🏥 Deadly hospital hack: The fallout from last month’s cyberattack on the Ascension hospital network is still unfolding. One woman went into cardiac arrest and died when lab results crucial for her treatment were delayed. In another case, a nurse nearly gave a baby a dangerous dose of narcotics because of confusing paperwork. Horrifying. Save your health records as a PDF now. Here’s how.

Heads-up, parents: Instagram is pushing sexually explicit videos to teenagers minutes after they’ve logged in (paywall link). New accounts get slightly seductive videos, but the content gets racier the more they watch. Talk to your kids about what they click on and watch. It’s not them; IG itself is pushing it.

🇨🇳 Say it’s not Tso: The U.S. House of Representatives just passed a ban on DJI drones made in Communist China. All that’s left is for the Senate to pass its version, and then it’s off to the president. If you already have a DJI, you can keep using it. The ban stops future sales on U.S. soil. Why? To keep China from spying on us, of course.

TikTok takeover? U.S. billionaire Frank McCourt made his fortune in real estate and wants to buy TikTok before it gets banned. He says he’s trying to keep it out of the hands of Big Tech companies that are destroying society and endangering kids. I’m sure that’s some part of his reasoning.

Trouble getting your car serviced this week? Blame a cyberattack on CDK, the operating system used by dealerships, which was shut down amidst the chaos. This disruption meant dealers couldn’t process electronic titling or access service records. Stay tuned. I’m sure we’ll hear about a data breach soon.

🎥 Streaming success: A year after “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” flopped in theaters, it’s making a comeback on Netflix. It hit the Global Top 10 list, with 5.6 million views from June 10 to June 16. It always had good reviews, but it just wasn’t a hit in theaters. Yeah, I prefer to watch movies at home, too.

Apple’s specs appeal: No one’s buying Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headsets, so Apple’s now holding off on the Vision Pro 2 to focus instead on a cheaper version of the original for 2025. It’ll have the same high-end displays but fewer cameras, a simpler headband and smaller speakers. I bet its price is around $1,500, much like a high-end iPhone.

🚗 New travel rule: Only ride in a self-driving car during the middle of the day. A study of more than 2,000 autonomous vehicles found they’re 5.25 times more likely to cause accidents in early morning, twilight and low-light conditions. They’re nearly twice as likely to mess up turns compared to human drivers, too. Yikes.

Nighty-night: Like dozing off to music or videos on your iPhone? There’s a hidden setting in the Clock app to stop media playback at a certain time. Open Clock, select Timers tab and tap When Timer Ends. Next, scroll down, select Stop Playing and tap Set. Choose how long you want your media to play, and then press Start.

🔊 PC audio hack: You can control the volume of individual apps on Windows. Right-click on the Volume icon on your taskbar and select Open Volume mixer. Move the volume slider up and down for each app. Voila, that’s it.

🎨 Give the kids (and yourself) some culture: Bank of America customers get free admission to museums nationwide for the first weekend of every month. Perfect for summer vacation!

Snappy: Drag a window to the left or right edge to snap it in place on Windows. Shake a window to minimize all others you have open. On a Mac, hold the option key, hover over the green “expand” button at the top of a window, and snap it to one side.

This is so sweet: Hover over a link and click on your mouse wheel to open it in a new tab. You can also middle-click the mouse on an open tab to close it. Share that tip to impress your friends.

Let’s make your Friday more fun: Turn on my yacht rock playlist (so many good songs! You’re welcome) and stop by my YouTube channel today at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) to catch the live action. We have a blast.

Summer is playtime. I wrangled up a few great beach or outdoor lawn games for hosting, travel or just weekend fun.

• Keep it classic: This bocce ball set is 19% off and comes with its own carrying case.
• Get the kids off their screens: This game set is a party in a box for the younger members of your summering crew, with four games in one. Select the size for kids ages 3 to 7 or 5 to 10.
• Light up the night: A lightweight, light-up flying disc is good for parties that go past sunset, which is pretty late these days! Woo, it’s 15% off.
• Backyard bowling: An outdoor (or indoor, for rainy days) bowling set for 22% off. Strike!
• Tabletop playing: Give your feet a rest from the other games and play a hook-and-ring game (15% off).
• Create your own course: Most putting games are pricey, but this set of two putting cups is a steal on sale for $8.99. Get a bunch and create your own 18.

I have to tell you this story: Years ago, my father-in-law flew with us to Phoenix. The flight attendant leaned over and asked, “Would you like to have a cornish game hen?” Dad sat up, looked him straight in the eyes and said, “I was married to the woman of my dreams. I like women. Why would you even think I liked gay men?” Yeah, he got hearing aids after that. 😂

Before you go: Stop struggling to hear the TV, your friends and family, and everything else. Hear.com’s hearing aids aren’t like the ones Grandma or Grandpa used. I like they have a rechargeable battery, and you can take phone calls right on your hearing aids. Take a free test to see if they’re right for you.

See you right back here tomorrow, and congratulations on another week of being awesome with me by your side. — Kim