Americans Trust Car Travel More This Summer

Mon, 24 May 2021  |  travel 

With the summer travel season starting this week, a new survey conducted by Bridgestone Americas (Bridgestone) reveals more than half of Americans plan to travel only by car this summer to reach their vacation destinations. Nearly four in five respondents said they feel safer in a car than on a plane, and nearly one-third said they plan to travel more than 500 miles by car this summer.

While restrictions and guidance concerning travel, outdoor activities and public gatherings have begun to ease, just 13% said they will visit crowded destinations such as amusement parks and metropolitan cities. Moreover, 15% will continue to stay close to home for the foreseeable future. For those planning to travel, half of respondents said they are using their next trip to visit friends or family, and another 24% will visit the beach this summer.

Despite the high number of Americans solely trusting their vehicles for travel this summer, many drivers have not completed routine tire and vehicle maintenance that is critical to a safe journey. Among the findings:

• 46% of respondents indicated they have not checked their tire pressure within the past three months;
• 20% said they have never personally checked their vehicle's tire tread depth or the condition of their spare tire.

"Over the past year, many Americans have understandably delayed routine tire and vehicle maintenance, which is why we are urging drivers to take some simple steps to ensure their vehicle and tires are road trip ready," said Robert Johnson, vice president of stores, Bridgestone Retail Operations. "No one should spend their vacation stuck on the side of the road – it's not safe or fun. A successful road trip starts long before you pull out of the driveway with proactive vehicle and tire maintenance."

Source: Bridgestone