WAYNE, N.J. (July 2, 2013) — Fewer people will be traveling for the 4th of July this year than in years past, according to Hankook Tire of America Inc.'s Summer Gauge Index.
The survey, conducted the last week of June, revealed that road trip travel for the holiday has declined by 16 percent since 2011, the Wayne-based tire marketer said. This year, only 14 percent of Americans are planning to hit the road for the 4th, down from 20 percent in 2012 and 30 percent in 2011.
Additional findings from the index include:
• 43 percent of Americans will stay home for 4th of July;
• 27 percent will go to a friend's/family member's house;
• 60 percent of Americans will take a summer road trip—and they will drive an average of 1,045.5 miles on that trip this year;
• Only 19 percent of car owners say they would prefer to have a convertible as a car (78 percent wouldn't); and
• 37 percent of drivers name rock 'n' roll as their favorite road trip music—19 percent say country is their favorite.
The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a quarterly survey of Americans that uncovers their attitudes and opinions about all things related to driving. The summer installment of the survey polled 1,008 randomly selected Americans on summer driving and what is on their minds as the season approaches.