Last Updated on 02.10.2024 by hrushetskyy
The road trip is a classic summer adventure. And right now, for many millions of Americans, it’s the perfect way to emerge triumphant from the pandemic. Whether you’re part of a family on a budget, a restless remote worker looking for a change of scenery, or a group of friends looking to make lifelong memories — you can’t go wrong with a road trip.
To learn more about how people take road trips in 2021, what pains and pleasures define them, and how the pandemic has shaped our relationship with the road, we recently surveyed 1,260 American drivers.
What counts as a “road trip?”
Our first order of business was to establish what constitutes an “official road trip.” According to our respondents, five hours of driving round-trip is the minimum amount needed to qualify an excursion as a “road trip”. It may feel like a big ordeal to drive to your in-laws an hour away, but you can’t call it a road trip.
We also asked people about the longest road trips they’ve been on: On average, 25 hours was the upper limit, but 20% of respondents say they’ve been on the road for 40 hours or more at some point. That’s an entire workweek in the car.
So what’s the sweet spot? Glad you asked. Here’s what our road trippers said:
According to the Americans we surveyed, an ideal road trip includes 13 total hours of driving, five total days, and four passengers in an SUV/Crossover. The second most ideal car is a 4-door sedan and the third is a minivan (nerd alert).
People prefer to make pit stops for gas, stretching, food and bathroom every two hours, and the top-rated snacks they pick up are crackers, chips, and jerky. Cheez-Its were the top snack cited by brand name. Also, it should be noted, 41% of respondents said they simply could not endure a road trip without a smartphone or tablet.
Post-pandemic escapism is fueling summer driving plans
Feeling restless, irritable, and craving a change of scenery? You’re not alone. Over the past year of pandemic chaos, road trips became one of the safest ways to get out and explore the country.
According to our survey, 50.3% of Americans took road trips during the pandemic. And it appears there’s now even more interest in this type of travel. (Although with COVID-19 vaccination rates varying across the country and children under 12 still ineligible, it’s a good idea to review the CDC’s updated domestic travel guidance.)
Almost 2 in 3 Americans (62.5%) say they plan to go on more road trips now than they did before the pandemic (including 69% of families). A whopping 80.6% plan to hit the road this year (86% of families).
According to AAA, more than 47.7 million Americans will travel around Independence Day, and — despite the highest gas prices in seven years — more than 91% of those trips will be by car.
Why Americans love road trips
What’s behind all this enthusiasm for the road? There are certainly practical advantages. Road trips can be spontaneous and flexible. You control when you leave, where you stop, how long you linger, and so forth.
They can be cheap, especially if you’re traveling with a group. You can bring anything your car will hold, and certainly more than would fit in a carry-on bag. (While you’re loading the car, don’t forget your emergency essentials.)
But our love affair with the open road isn’t just rooted in practicality. A road trip is much more than a vacation. There’s something mesmerizing about watching the countryside shift and change as you travel through it. Seeing communities and natural wonders up close is much different than observing them from 30,000 feet above.
And when you’re with others, there’s something about the forced closeness of time in the car and its unique pressures and opportunities that gives road tripping a deeper significance.
Here’s what our survey respondents had to say about the benefits of road trips.
Most Americans agree, road trips build and test relationships in important ways — 87% of those we surveyed say that road trips are one of the best ways for families to bond. Fully 86% say they are one of the best ways for romantic partners to test their compatibility. And 79% consider going on a road trip an important rite of passage for young people.
What makes a road trip special
The American road trip began to take shape and become popular as early as the 1930s. It’s a staple in our culture, and today, many routes are the destination. From Route 66 to the Pacific Coast Highway, traveling these roads feels like the ultimate American experience.
We still crave this kind of experience: As of April 2021, road travel was up 54.6%, or 90.6 billion miles year over year according to the Federal Highway Administration. But why are road trips uniquely great compared to other types of travel?
According to 73% of our respondents, conversations and bonding are the most compelling elements of a road trip. Of course they are — this is only natural when you take away the distractions of everyday life (looking at you, Netflix and social media).
Other popular reasons were the ability to incorporate more sightseeing and overall flexibility into your trip. These are benefits that can only come with driving and are a staple of the road trip experience.
Passing time on the road
Of course, it’s not all bonding and sightseeing. Oftentimes, especially on long-distance trips, time can feel as though it’s moving slowly.
If you’re not the one behind the wheel, there are plenty of ways to make the time fly by. Playing a game (road trips are perfect for I Spy) or reading that book you’ve been meaning to finish are great ways. But, according to almost half of respondents (46%), listening to music is the best way to pass time on the road.
Other favorite ways of passing the time are making conversation, listening to podcasts or audiobooks, and playing games. Surprisingly, just 6% say that looking out of the window at the passing scenery or daydreaming are the best ways to spend the time.
Regardless of how you choose to pass time in the car, make sure you keep yourself and your passengers safe. This includes keeping your seatbelt — one of the best ways to reduce the chance of injury — on at all times.
The best music for a road trip
Did you know that listening to music can positively impact your mood while driving? So it only makes sense that you can’t hit the road without a killer soundtrack, especially when a trip is for fun (which 13% of all car trips are).
Naturally, we had to find out which musicians or groups Americans love to listen to on the road. As for the top spot, the voice that most Americans want leading the soundtrack of their summer road trip? Justin Bieber. Is it too late now to say sorry?
Other favorite artists include pop icons like Eminem and Taylor Swift as well as tried-and-true classics such as Bruce Springsteen and The Beatles.
Rounding out the top ten are other classic staples: Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Eagles, and Pink Floyd.
Because road trips are such a classic experience in American culture, perhaps it makes sense that the top 25 spots are made up of artists like Simon & Garfunkel, Elvis, U2, and Tom Petty.
Aside from Bieber and Taylor, just a few pop artists made the list — and in lower spots at that: Maroon 5 (#17), Drake (#18), Backstreet Boys (#23), and Beyonce (#24).
What are the most common road-trip mishaps?
Naturally, road trips are not all fun and games. As with any other human endeavor, there’s a dark side to the road: It can challenge you in profound ways.
You may hit the on-ramp on a high note, only to return a week later with a trunk full of pee bottles, a twisted spine, and two speeding tickets to your name. Road trips can turn ugly, even for the best of us.
We asked our survey takers to share their worst experiences, and they had some doozies.
Sometimes, the unthinkable happens. With regard to pooping in your pants, it should be said that men (12%) are twice as likely as women (6%) to have this ultimate accident, and millennials have pooped their pants more than any other generation.
But on a more serious note, some road trip mishaps can have tragic consequences. Tire blowouts can be terrifying and deadly, so be sure to check your tires before you leave.
And the fact that 23% of survey takers reported nodding off while driving is concerning. According to the NHTSA, drowsy driving led to 697 deaths in 2019. If you feel yourself starting to nod off, be sure to pull over!
Hollywood hits the highway: The best road trip movies of all time
As we dwell on the carnage of a road trip gone wrong, it seems fitting to honor the films that have depicted that highway carnage best. There are several iconic movies about this: Almost Famous, Dumb and Dumber, and Thelma & Louise, just to name a few.
When we asked respondents to name their favorite movie that features a road trip, they did not disappoint. The list is chock-full of classics. Unsurprisingly, National Lampoon’s Vacation was the runaway winner, followed by Road Trip and Thelma & Louise.
The Hangover and RV rounded out the top five.
Many of the movies on the list are older, made in the early 2000s or before: Are We There Yet? (2005), Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), The Blues Brothers (1980), and Easy Rider (1969) are among them.
It’s critical to remember that while these movies are classics, watching movies while driving is not only dangerous but also distracting — and distracted driving is dangerous driving. Despite many new cars coming equipped with large video screens, multiple states are putting forth restrictions on their usage.
Conclusion: Where the rubber meets the road
If you’re one of the millions of Americans planning a road trip this summer or fall, get your playlists ready, stock up on Cheez-Its, charge your kids’ tablets, and inspect your tires to make sure they’re ready to get you there and back safely.
When inspecting your tires, you should check for the following:
- Balance
- Tread wear
- Rotation and alignment
- Tire damage
- Vehicle and tire loading capacity
Should you find any issues with your tires, buying quality used highway tires from a reputable seller can be an affordable alternative to springing for a full set of new ones.
By maintaining your tires, you save yourself time and money, increase your efficiency, and, most importantly, keep yourself and your family safe.
Methodology
Our survey was conducted online on June 1, 2021. We surveyed 1,260 U.S. car owners about their experiences taking road trips. Respondents were 44% female and 56% male, ranging in age between 18 and 70 with an average age of 39 years old. Respondents came from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia.
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