Travelers Will Step on the Gas in Greater Numbers This Memorial Day Weekend, Says Auto Club; Higher Gas Prices Won't Deter an Increased Number of Vacationers

LOS ANGELES--May 2, 20044, 2004--Despite continued record-breaking gas prices in the past couple of months, the Automobile Club of Southern California is predicting a 3 percent increase in the number of holiday travelers this Memorial Day weekend.

About 4.9 million Californians -- and 3.05 million Southern Californians -- are expected to travel at least 50 miles to holiday getaways. Of those, about 80 percent of travelers -- 3.9 million statewide and 2.5 million locally -- are expected to drive to their destinations, an increase of 2.7 percent from last year.

"Gas prices are about 50 cents a gallon higher than at this time last year, but it appears we haven't yet reached a point where the prices are affecting people's decisions to travel," said Auto Club spokesperson Carol Thorp. "Despite the high gas prices, driving is still the most economical way to take a family vacation."

About 710,000 Californians and 443,000 Southern Californians are expected to fly to Memorial Day destinations -- a 4.7 percent increase over last year. And more than 244,000 state residents and 153,000 from the Southland are expected to take cruises, buses, trains or other means of travel to Memorial Day getaways, about a 3 percent increase over last year.

Nationally, AAA is predicting that 36.9 million Americans will take Memorial Day weekend trips, a 3.6 percent increase compared to last year.

The most popular holiday destinations for Southern Californians, as usual for a three-day weekend, are close to home, according to a survey of AAA Travel agents. Top destinations include:

1) San Francisco Bay/Monterey Bay/Napa Valley
2) Santa Barbara
3) San Diego
4) Yosemite
5) Las Vegas

No matter where car travelers start out in Southern California for the weekend, they can expect to pay well over $2 a gallon for their gasoline. Even those heading out of state likely will see prices near $2 a gallon at their destinations, since national average prices have been hovering over $2 a gallon for almost a week.

The Auto Club advises travelers to take the following steps to maximize their gas mileage on their holiday trips:

-- Use your family's most fuel-efficient vehicle if feasible.

-- Pack light. Unnecessary weight in a vehicle reduces fuel economy.

-- Go the speed limit. For every mile-per-hour over 55 mph, the average car or truck loses almost 2 percent in gas mileage. The Department of Transportation estimates that if highway speed limits were observed by every U.S. driver, about 4 million gallons of gasoline per day could be conserved.

-- Smooth out your driving. Jerky starts and stops reduce mileage. Try to maintain a level speed by keeping enough following distance between your vehicle and others.

-- Plan your route ahead of time. Using an online map service like AAA TripTik, which allows you to plot in multiple destinations, can help you determine the shortest, most efficient routes and can prevent the need to backtrack.

-- Drive during off-peak hours. Typically, the Friday before a three-day weekend and the Sunday and Monday of that weekend have the heaviest traffic into and out of town. Sitting in traffic congestion wastes gas. But if you decide to travel late at night or early in the morning, make sure you get enough sleep to drive safely.

-- Call the California Highway Information Number, 800-427-7623, before leaving to check your route. This number provides hourly updates on lane and route closures for interstate and state highways, and can save you from sitting in traffic and wasting gas.

Research for Memorial Day weekend travel is based on a national telephone survey of 1,300 adults by the Travel Industry Association of America, which conducts special research for AAA.

The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by roadside assistance, insurance products and services, travel agency, financial products, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis, trip planning services and highway and transportation safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.