Sky-high gas prices aren’t stopping Americans from hitting the road this summer
Despite a rebound in COVID cases, Memorial Day Weekend is expected to mark the beginning of a busy US driving season as Americans hungry for some time away are undeterred by the rising cost of gasoline and pretty much everything else.
Data from GasBuddy showed that nearly 60% of Americans are planning on hitting the road for a vacation at some point this summer. That’s the highest reading since 2019.
This suggests that Americans are feeling the itch to travel after two years of pandemic-induced isolation.
But just how many people will be hitting the road during Memorial Day Weekend?
According to the American Automobile Association, nearly 40 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more by car over the holiday period. That represents an increase of 8.3% from the same weekend a year ago, and it’s just shy of pre-pandemic levels. By comparison, prices at the pump have risen roughly 50% over the past year.
