The majority of travelers (70%) plan to quarantine in some way upon returning home from holiday travel, while 64% plan to do so leading up to their trip and then again once they arrive at their destination (61%).
Americans also also adjusting when they travel; three-quarters are planning to travel early to avoid typical peak travel times.
"As with so much this year, it's difficult to predict exactly how holiday travel will pan out, but our latest survey finds that the rules of the road are changing for the holidays," Peter Jung, SVP and COO, Hankook Tire America Corp., said "More people will hit the road this year as a way to see family and friends. To stay safe, they're modifying plans to beat the traffic and allow time to quarantine.
"At the same time, home for the holidays is taking on new meaning as more Americans plan to stay closer to home."
While 26% will stay home for the holidays — up from 9% prior to the onset of COVID-19. Overall Americans are feeling more confident about getting behind the wheel. The Gauge revealed that daily driving is returning to more normal levels than reported in the spring.
- 60% of Americans are driving daily, compared to April when only 20% hit the road every day. Road trips are a significant part of that.
- Nearly three-quarters (72%) of those surveyed said they have taken a road trip since the onset of the pandemic, either out of necessity or for leisure.
- Road trips also are rising in popularity compared to air travel, as Americans are nearly two times more comfortable traveling long distances by car (46%) than by plane (24%).
However, Hankook found that while 93%t of millennials already have taken a road trip this year, the majority of boomers (54%) and the Silent Generation (70%) said they are not comfortable traveling long distance, no matter the form of transportation.
"The Gauge revealed signs of daily driving returning to a more normal cadence, but even still, there is uncertainty about hitting the road," Jung said.
The Hankook Tire Gauge Index is a survey of Americans' attitudes and opinions about driving. The latest installment of the survey, conducted September 24-27, polled 1,044 randomly selected Americans over the age of 18 who have a valid U.S. driver's license.