NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The weather outside may be frightful, but there is no staying home this holiday season.
Americans are hitting the roadways this year to catch up with old friends and visit with family, according to Hankook Tire America Corp.'s quarterly Tire Gague Index survey, which is designed to uncover attitudes and opinions on issues related to driving. The latest Tire Gauge revealed that 84 percent of Americans plan to drive rather than fly to their holiday destinations.
While there may be no place like home for the holidays, heading out for a destination Christmas celebration doesn't sound like a bad idea, either. According to Hankook's survey, 38 percent of respondents said a beach vacation would be an ideal way to celebrate the season, but New York and New Orleans also were listed as popular places to visit during the Christmas season.
And with all that driving, motorists aren't taking those tires for granted, either. Nearly half of the survey respondents (48 percent) said they would love to receive new tires as a gift during the holidays. In the Midwest, where winter weather can take a tougher toll on tires, that number jumped to 57 percent.
No matter where motorists may be headed over the holidays, Hankook said, it's critical to have vehicles serviced before the worst of winter's weather hits. This helps to ensure that lights, brakes, windshield wipers and tires are in good working condition.
Hankook is offering a consumers a rebate worth up to $80 on sets of winter tires as part of its Great Winter Rebate promotion, which runs through Dec. 31. Additional details about the promotion, as well as online submission forms, are available at HankookTire.com.
"As the temperature drops, proper tire maintenance is the key to a safe and happy holiday," said Wes Boling, public relations manager, Hankook Tire America Corp.