BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2015 – With millions of drivers hitting the roads this holiday season, Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, set out to learn more about Americans’ holiday driving habits. The survey follows a campaign Zipcar began earlier this year to encourage its nearly one million members to embrace driving for the real-world connections it enables, calling on members to “visit your screensaver” and create “more social, less media” relationships. The findings of the survey, conducted online last month on Zipcar’s behalf by Harris Poll, were released today and debunk several long-standing myths about holiday travel by car.

Myth #1: Family road trips are the stuff of holiday nightmares.

Truth: Time in the car equals time to connect.

Nearly three in five (57 percent) American adults who take holiday road trips say that the drive to visit family is itself an important part of their holiday traditions. Nearly two thirds (64 percent) enjoy disconnecting from technology to spend time with friends and family in the car, and 68 percent say they feel closer to the family and friends they travel with after a long car ride.

Myth #2: Cars are only for driving.

Truth: Holiday cheer will reach a whole new level on the roads (and in driveways) this holiday season.

Americans hitting the roads this holiday season should keep an eye on the breakdown lane or rest stop – Zipcar learned that nearly one in 10 U.S. adults (nine percent) report having pulled over for a “quickie” and getting intimate with their partner while traveling for the holidays. And the fun doesn’t end once travelers reach their destination – nearly one in 10 U.S. adults (eight percent) and more than one in five students (22 percent) have snuck out of the house during the holidays to get intimate in the car.

Myth #3: When it comes to holiday travel, Americans just want to get it over with.

Truth: The “holiday rush” is slower than you think – and comes complete with an amazing soundtrack.

Eighty percent of holiday road trippers say they like to take their time and enjoy the ride (as opposed to 20 percent who consider themselves “speed demons”), perhaps enjoying pit stops along the way and hitting the high notes while singing their favorite holiday songs. Topping the charts? The so-called “Queen of Christmas” still reigns – Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is the favorite holiday song among American adults spending time in the car this holiday season (13 percent), followed closely by Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” (12 percent).

Zipcar enables its members to tap into the joy of holiday driving – without the cost and hassle of car ownership. Zipcar members have on-demand access to a wide variety of cars in hundreds of cities and college campuses worldwide, as well as airports, making it the perfect solution for holiday shopping trips, epic Christmas tree searches, and holiday travel. Zipcars are available 24/7 for reservation by the hour or by the day via Zipcar’s mobile app, through www.zipcar.com, or over the phone. Each reservation includes gas, insurance and 180 miles per day.

As millions of Americans hit the road to make lifelong memories with friends and family this holiday season, Zipcar reminds you to be safe behind the wheel, and with each other.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Zipcar from November 19-23, 2015 among 2,016 adults ages 18 and older, among which 1,225 ever take holiday car/road trips. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Kate Binette, Communications Manager, Zipcar at 617.336.4625 or [email protected]. 

 About Zipcar

Zipcar, the world’s leading car sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout Austria, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. Zipcar offers more than 50 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a global leader in vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.   

About The Harris Poll

Over the last 5 decades, Harris Polls have become media staples.  With comprehensive experience and precise technique in public opinion polling, along with a proven track record of uncovering consumers’ motivations and behaviors, The Harris Poll has gained strong brand recognition around the world. The Harris Poll offers a diverse portfolio of proprietary client solutions to transform relevant insights into actionable foresight for a wide range of industries including health care, technology, public affairs, energy, telecommunications, financial services, insurance, media, retail, restaurant, and consumer packaged goods. Contact us for more information.

# # #

Media Contact:
Kate Binette

Communications Manager, Zipcar

617-336-4625

[email protected]