The majority of travelers (70 percent) plan to quarantine in some way upon returning home from holiday travel, while 64 percent plan to do so leading up to their trip and then again once they arrive at their destination (61 percent).
Americans also are adjusting when they travel with three-quarters 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, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Hankook Tire America, said in a statement. "More people will hit the road this year as a way to see family and friends."
While 26 percent will stay home for the holidays—up from 9 percent prior to the onset of COVID-19, Americans, overall, are feeling more confident about getting behind the wheel. The survey revealed that daily driving is returning to more normal levels than reported in the spring:
- Sixty percent of Americans are driving daily, compared with April, when only 20 percent hit the road every day.
- 72 percent said they had taken a road trip since the onset of the pandemic.
- Americans are nearly two times more comfortable traveling long distances by car (46 percent) than plane (24 percent).
"The Gauge revealed signs of daily driving returning to a more normal cadence, but even still, there is uncertainty about hitting the road," Mr. Jung said.
The survey of 1,044 Americans was conducted Sept. 24-27.
