by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 12:20 PM ET, Thu February 8, 2024
Road trips have always been an American pastime, but the nation set a new annual record for road trips in 2023, with Americans driving 3.263 trillion miles.
According to the Transportation Department and reported on by Reuters, the new record is the first time the level has increased since before the pandemic era. It rose 2.1 percent from 2019, when Americans drove 3.261 trillion miles.
The reason for the increase isn’t just because Americans are taking more road trips: they’re also heading back into the office for work more regularly, or five days a week, as many did before the pandemic. Gas prices were also lower than in 2022.
While some travelers took to the roads during the deep lockdowns and the worst of the pandemic, 2020 saw a steep 11 percent decline in miles driven overall, the lowest number since 2003. It rose 8 percent in 2021.
A recent report published in December predicts that 2024 will be a good year for gas prices, with the national average ranging between $2-4 per gallon.
Families are predicted to spend two percent less than in 2023 and 12 percent less than in 2022 on gas prices.
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