LONG AND WINDING ROAD
News Copy - WITH INFOGRAPHIC & VIDEO: https://we.tl/4e3Ahmt3mG
You may have driven around the world already and haven’t even realized it, a new study reveals.
The average American clocks up a massive 79,548 miles on road trips in their lifetime – the equivalent of driving around the world 3.2 times.
As Thanksgiving approaches, millions of Americans are preparing to hit the road – officially kicking off the busy holiday travel season.
The survey shows the average distance covered during a road trip is 612 miles – about the distance between Denver, CO and Kansas City, MO.
Americans’ love for road trips emerged in a study of 2000 Americans by PioneerElectronics.com, which also found the typical road trip lasts an average of more than five days.
Sweet Home Alabama is officially America’s favorite travel tune when on the road – voted the most commonly listened to song, followed by Bohemian Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Believin’, and Born to be Wild.
Roughly all (90 percent) of Americans will take a long journey by car with family and friends this year - with the average person going on a road trip of some kind twice each year.
Our first road trip experience starts at nine-years-old with family, and we journey off on our own road trip with friends for the first time at 19.
“With the holiday season quickly approaching, it’s a perfect time to get into our cars, visit far-away family, or just take a few days to discover what this country has to offer,” said Ted Cardenas, Vice President of Marketing, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.
“The survey results highlight just how far we’ll travel, and what makes a road trip a success – whether it’s playing the right music, having the best snacks, or using navigation that you can trust."
Drivers take a break every three hours, and make three stops each day. Three friends and three family members are seen as the perfect amount of people to go on a road trip with.
Some would have no problem adding one more person to their trip - one in ten say they would pick up a hitchhiker.
And men are more than twice as likely than women to pick up a stranger on the road. “Hitchhikers can be a lot of fun,” said one survey respondent.
License Plates, I Spy, and Car Spotting are the favorite games to play for fun during those long hours on the road.
Sixty-percent are always playing music while driving, and more people prefer listening to talk radio than watching movies as a passenger.
Sandwiches, beef jerky, and cookies are the most popular snacks to have on the road.
But it’s not always fun and games, the survey shows mishaps such as running out of gas and having nowhere to sleep are regular occurrences for many on their road adventures.
Eight percent have had nowhere to sleep while out on the road. One in seven have run out of gas, 17 percent have experienced untimely bowel movement, and 51 percent have gotten lost.
One group of friends drove 400 miles to Vermont to go skiing and didn’t bother making hotel reservations, thinking they would easily find something available when they arrived. The six of them had to sleep in their car in 20-degree weather for a night.
“As the study highlights, plans do go wrong, so preparation is key to making sure that the journey is as good as the destination,” said Cardenas.
“At Pioneer we’re not just focused on impressive sounds, but all the technology and gadgets to enhance any road trip so people can enjoy the journey no matter where it takes them.”
AMERICA’S TOP 10 ROAD TRIP TUNES
Sweet Home Alabama - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
Don’t Stop Believin’ - Journey
Born to be Wild - Steppenwolf
Livin’ On a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Highway to Hell - ACDC
I Get Around The Beach Boys
Life in the Fast Lane - Eagles
Sweet Child O’ Mine - Guns N’ Roses
Purple Rain - Prince
END
