Survey: Road Trips Are Happy Moments for Americans
Photo: Avinash Patel via Pexels
2020 has thrown all of us a loop, but road trips managed to provide Americans with their happiest moments this summer. Developed in conjunction with The Harris Poll, a Chevrolet-sponsored survey reports 80 percent of 1,000 respondents admitted that road trips were a saving grace since the COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head.
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“A majority of Americans said their vehicles became a much-needed escape from home, with many exploring outdoor destinations like beaches and hiking trails,” according to Chevy.
Ranking from most popular to least were outdoor excursions to the beach, hiking, fishing, and exploring national parks, according to the survey results.
In fact, road trips achieved a higher status in the minds of three-quarters of the respondents. The survey also revealed that road trips spurred people to consider different types of adventures. For the first time, 20 percent of road trippers in the survey visited a national park. Camping was a first time experience for more than 1 in 10 Americans, while 41 percent opted to road trip to a new destination.
Of course, despite the positive responses and fuzzy feelings about road-tripping this summer, the respondents said there’s always room for improvement.
The survey reported that 53 percent of the drivers surveyed wished they had more cargo room. Extra space would have made their trips more enjoyable. Safety systems and features also ranked as a top consideration for road trippers.
With summer in the rear view, survey respondents are not putting the brakes on future road trips.
“Of those planning to road trip through the end of the year, 41 percent plan to road trip over Thanksgiving or winter holidays,” concludes the survey.
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Survey responses were collected between August 17-20. Respondents had to be over 18 years of age. Two-hundred fifty-four interviews of Texas residents were also included in the data.
DeAnn Owens is a Dayton transplant by way of the Windy City, yet considers herself to be a California girl at heart even though she’s only visited there once. To get through the dreaded allergy season unique to the Miami Valley, she reads, writes, complains about the weather, and enjoys spending time with her husband, two sons, and their newest addition, a Boston terrier puppy that is now in charge of all their lives. In the future, she hopes to write a novel and travel through time. See more articles by DeAnn.