75 Percent of Americans Likely to Road Trip by Labor Day

SANTA MONICA, CA -- Aug. 12, 2014: Whether it's the trip back to college, a last-minute Labor Day escape or an end-of-summer getaway, Americans find that August is a great time to hit the road. In a recent survey of 1,000 Americans by car shopping site Edmunds.com, 40 percent of drivers said that they definitely plan to take a road trip by Labor Day and another 34 percent are considering it.

In fact, the August survey found that 80 percent of drivers had road trips in mind when they shopped for their vehicle, with cargo space being the primary attractor (22 percent). The great American road trip is alive and well with many drivers planning to go the distance (500+ miles), snap selfies and pump their favorite tunes.

Some other takeaways include:

We love that open road: More than 92 percent would be willing to drive up to 500 miles for a vacation; of this group, 49 percent would drive cross-country. But first, let's take a selfie: Thirty-four percent of road trippers will take anywhere from 1-10 selfies on their journey (not while driving). GPS is key: GPS, music and travel companions are must-haves for road trips (27 percent, 24 percent and 25 percent, respectively). Parents WILL turn that car around: Of the respondents with children, nearly half (45 percent) will threaten to turn the car around at least once on a road trip. Eyes on the road: Nearly 90 percent of respondents said they could last over an hour without checking their phones while on a road trip. Of course, no one should ever check their phones while driving. Classic rock trumps pop: When respondents were given the choice of road trip anthems, Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" beat out modern day heavy hitters Katy Perry and Taylor Swift for the top spot. "It's not surprising to us that more than 80 percent of respondents had road trips in mind when they were car shopping," said Edmunds.com CEO Avi Steinlauf. "Road trips are the ultimate test for any new vehicle; if the car can be reliable and comfortable while handling all the loading, unloading and hauling with adequate fuel efficiency, then it'll definitely make a great long term vehicle."

Methodology The Edmunds.com road trip survey was conducted within the United States by the Edmunds team among 1,000 adult car drivers.