The Auto Club

(LOS ANGELES, May 18, 2009) – Economic doldrums are expected to push down Memorial Day travel among Southern Californians by 2.3 percent compared to last year’s holiday, with just over 2.5 million Southland residents expected to take trips this holiday, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.

More than 80 percent of local travelers, or just over two million people, are expected to travel by car to their holiday destinations – a 2.1 percent decrease from last year. Air travel is expected to decrease by nearly 6 percent to 213,000 Southern Californians, and 264,000 will travel by bus, train or ship – a decrease of 1 percent.

The dip in Southern California travel is also reflected statewide, where just over 4 million holiday travelers are projected. Of those, 3.3 million will travel by car and 343,000 are expected to take plane trips.

While California and other Western states are projected to see a dip in Memorial Day travel compared to last year, AAA predicts that overall, U.S. travel will increase slightly compared to last year’s holiday. AAA attributes the national uptick in travel to much lower gas prices. Last year, many would-be travelers cancelled their plans because of looming economic worries and gas prices near $4 a gallon.

Nationally, 32.4 million Memorial Day travelers are expected, with 27 million expected to go by car and 2.1 million by air. That represents a 1.5 percent increase over last year.

“The economic downturn is affecting California more acutely than many other parts of the country, and the state’s double-digit unemployment has without a doubt pushed down the number of holiday travelers,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring.

“However, many families are still finding ways to travel more affordably either by going a shorter distance or otherwise economizing on their travel budgets,” he added. “Lower gas prices and plentiful bargains offered by travel providers are also helping to keep trips affordable, which is probably why we haven’t seen an even greater dip in holiday travel.”

The top five Memorial Day destinations for Southern Californians, according to a poll of the Auto Club’s AAA Travel Agency, are:

1) Las Vegas

2) San Diego

3) San Francisco

4) Arizona

5) Central Coast (Santa Barbara to Monterey)

Hawaii, with plentiful unheard-of bargains, is expected to be the top air travel destination this holiday.

With Arizona among the top five auto destinations for Southern Californians, the Auto Club is warning drivers to carefully abide by speed limits throughout that state, because they may receive a speeding ticket without even realizing it. Arizona has installed 36 speed enforcement cameras on its freeways, and some cities also have speed cameras on local streets. In addition, more than 40 mobile speed camera units can be deployed anywhere in the state. AAA has designated the entire state as a “strict enforcement area” because of the high number of cameras.

Other tips for holiday drivers include:
Travel during off-peak times to avoid congestion.
Check your vehicle’s fluid levels, belts, hoses and tires.
Pack plenty of fluids and activities for youngsters for long trips.
Plan your route ahead of time and bring along a map in case you need to choose an alternate route. Motorists can call the California Highway Information Number at (800) 427-7623 for interstate and state route lane closures and highway closures. The information is updated hourly.
Take care with children by properly using safety belts and car seats, and accompanying them into the restroom during travel breaks.
Choose a well-lit, populated area for rest stops when driving at night.
The Auto Club’s and AAA’s projections are based on research conducted by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA earlier this year as part of an agreement to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays.