Despite rising gas prices, according to a survey by Hankook Tire, drivers are cutting back on their daily commute but are getting behind the wheel for more road trips.
The company surveyed U.S. drivers ahead of the holidays to gauge how their driving habits have changed as gas prices have spiked.
Its latest Gauge Index showed that two-thirds (67 per cent) of U.S. drivers said increased gas prices have had anywhere from a moderate to major impact on how they drive every day. Still, more than half (57 per cent) still plan to travel this holiday season.
And they’re going to be travelling by car, which is the most popular mode of transportation, it reported.
There was a 15 per cent increase in people more comfortable travelling long distances than one year ago, Hankook reported. And they prefer doing that travel by car (61 per cent) vs. plane (22 per cent) due to the pandemic. In fact, Hankook reported, the number of people comfortable travelling by car is up 36 per cent year-over-year.
That said, people are not planning too long of a road trip.
One in five 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.
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