Despite rising gas prices, holiday car travel accelerates according to Hankook Tire Gauge Index

Nashville, TN – Americans are determined to hit the road this holiday season no matter the cost at the pump, according to the latest survey by Hankook Tire America Corp. While Hankook’s latest Gauge Index revealed that two-thirds (67 percent) of Americans said increasing gas prices have had a major-to-moderate impact on their daily driving habits, over half (57 percent) still plan to travel this holiday season. Furthermore, traveling by car is the most popular mode of transportation for all the surveyed holidays.

When considering the ongoing pandemic, car travel is a clear winner. Significantly more people feel comfortable traveling long distances than they did a year ago (a 15 percent increase year-over-year), and prefer doing so by car (61 percent) vs. plane (22 percent) due to the pandemic. In fact, the number of Americans comfortable traveling by car is up 36 percent year-over-year.

Cost remains a factor. When deciding how to travel to their holiday destinations, cost is the top consideration for 52 percent of Americans. Other factors include distance to destination (37 percent) and overall health and safety (31 percent).

But deciding to drive doesn’t mean trips will be longer. Although driving may add flexibility for some, most people do not plan to extend their trips too far beyond the holiday itself. Of those planning on driving to their Christmas destination, only one-in-five (20 percent) will leave four or more days before the holiday. Most (66 percent) will leave within just two days of the holiday—meaning holiday traffic will kick into high gear on December 23.