The increasing price of petroleum fuel is felt by almost everyone in the United States. But it looks as if that is not enough to keep Americans from traveling this holiday season. According to AAA Chicago, they expect that 62.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from their homes this upcoming holiday. Of that number, about 53 million are expected to travel by motor vehicles.
Beth Mosher, AAA Chicago's director of public affairs, said that even if Americans chose to fly or drive, they would be affected by the increased price of petroleum fuel. "Whether driving or flying, Americans face steep increases in their travel budgets during this holiday season," said Mosher. "Fuel prices remain at unprecedented levels for this time of year with prices around three dollars a gallon and the airfare has increased 16 percent since last year."
Those who will travel by cars would be shelling out about $2.99 for every gallon of regular gasoline. Motorists from Illinois or those who will be passing through Illinois would pay about $3.04 per gallon while for Indiana drivers fuel costs $2.97 per gallon. All those prices are higher compared to the same period last year.
AAA has its Fuel Price Finder available at their site which gives motorists the location of refilling stations where cheap fuel are being sold. This will help motorists who will be going on a very long trip.
If holiday travelers take the plane over automobiles, they would still be affected with the increased gas prices. Air fare has increased considerably compared to the same time last year. About 8.9 million Americans will be traveling by plane according to AA Chicago. All is not bad news though for them as rental cars have dropped their rate according to the survey by the AAA Chicago. The remaining 3.3 million Americans who are planning to travel this holiday season will do so by train, bus, or other mode of transportation.
With millions of drivers to hit the road, AAA Chicago advises motorists strongly to stay away from accidents by driving responsibly. The group also encourages motorists to slow down or move over when they see emergency vehicles along the side of the road. "Slowing down or moving over near accident scenes, or where roadside assistance vehicles are stopped along the shoulder, can help keep emergency responders and motorists safe during the holiday travel season," said Mosher. It also helps to have vehicles equipped with safety features and reliable parts such as the .