Eighty-three percent of Americans said they plan to they take at least one summer road trip, according to a new survey from Bridgestone Americas.
Cost is widely regarded as the leading reason Americans choose to drive rather than fly, but those who take summer road trips say road travel has many additional benefits, according to the May survey of 2,000 adults. A top response, 58 percent choose road travel over air because it gives them greater flexibility. Other leading reasons summer road travelers choose to travel by vehicle rather than plane are because their destination is too close to fly (44 percent), they enjoy driving (38 percent), and they want to avoid potential flight cancellations (23 percent).
“Our research confirms flexibility is king – it allows summer travelers to stay in control of their busy lives, even when they’re on vacation,” Erik Seidel, vice president of branding for Bridgestone Americas, said in a news release. “In the land of Route 66, the Ventura Highway and Florida’s scenic route US 1, we know consumers enjoy the experience only car travel can provide, and we expect this trend to continue.”
On average, U.S. adults are willing to drive more than 500 miles on a summer road trip. When asked what could ruin a summer road trip, Americans said a fender bender (74 percent) and a flat tire (49 percent) were the top two mishaps.