4th Of July 2016 By The Numbers [INFOGRAPHIC]

With the 4th Of July long weekend fast approaching, the personal-finance website WalletHub today followed up its study on the Credit Cards with the Best Travel Benefits with its Fourth of July 2016 By The Numbers Report. The report includes a fun fact-filled infographic that breaks down the dollars and cents of Independence Day, plus an expert Q&A on the do’s and don’ts of holiday spending.

You can find a handful of highlights from the report below.

$6.77B – Total planned spending on July 4^th food.
150 Mil. – Hot dogs are consumed each July 4th holiday.
700 Mil. Lbs – Of chicken are purchased in the week prior to July 4^th.
$4.4 Mil – Annual value of imported American flags, most of which are made in China.
$324+ Mil. – Value of annual fireworks imports to the U.S. (most from China).
67% – Of all annual fireworks injuries take place within a month of July 4^th.

Fireworks and freedom: That’s what America does on the Fourth of July, in celebration of the nation’s birthday on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 of our founding fathers. Plus we eat a whole lot of hotdogs: 150 million in total, making Independence Day the calendar’s top dog, if you will.

Ever since the 4th Of July was declared a federal holiday in 1941, the occasion has been marked by communal leisure, as we collectively bask in the warm summer sun, the glow of fireworks and all that it means to be American – from the many freedoms we enjoy to our relative safety. So roughly two-thirds of us barbeque – adding nearly 900 million pounds of beef and chicken to our All-American feast in the process – and about 43% of us plan to partake in a fireworks display. We also drink enough to make July 4th the best holiday for beer sales. And that’s where things get dicey.

Where there are fireworks and alcohol, injuries are bound to result. About 67% of all fireworks injuries happen within a month of July 4th, with nearly 700 people visiting the emergency room and 7 passing away. What’s more, roughly 400 people die in Fourth of July car crashes, 41% of which involve alcohol impairment. So this Independence Day, just remember to stay safe while celebrating America. And don’t do anything to jeopardize the valuable freedoms that citizens before you have fought so hard to protect.

To help get you in the mood to party the right way, we put together an awesome infographic filled with fun facts about this red, white and blue anniversary. We also polled a panel of leading American-studies experts for some added insight into Uncle Sam’s birthday. You can check it all out below.