16 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • MAY 2021
SUMMER TRAVEL ON THE ROAD AGAIN
BY ROBERT SINCLAIR JR.
AAA Northeast Regional Spokesman
After a yearlong pause of normal activities
due to the coronavirus, millions
of Americans are daily receiving the
vaccine and eagerly looking forward to
resuming discontinued activities, including
the family vacation. New guidelines
from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention provide assurances that
taking a trip can be done safely by vaccinated
and even unvaccinated persons, if
certain precautions are taken.
The eagerness to take a vacation is being
seen at AAA Travel with a 40 percent
increase in trip bookings in the last month
alone, a trend we expect will continue.
Disney Orlando is most popular, followed
by Aruba, Hawaii, and Universal Florida.
River cruises, domestic and foreign, are
also much sought after. Ocean cruise
“Taking a trip will be part of what makes our nation
return to economic strength.”
lines are preparing to resume sailings
for some Caribbean and Mediterranean
ports starting in June. Reservations are
strong for all of 2021 and well into 2022.
Advance bookings will ensure your destination
is open, and allow you to check
on testing requirements to re-enter the
U.S. We are also seeing a lot of last-minute
travel plans for Florida, the Caribbean,
and domestic travel with car rentals and
theme park ticket sales near capacity. In
either case, a travel agent can be helpful,
providing the latest information on availability,
the ability to make last-minute
changes, and knowledge about insurance
options and up-to-date safety information.
While travel by air, cruise, train, and bus
are popular options, many vacation trips
in the U.S. are made by car. Loading up
the family vehicle to explore a location in
our vast, geographically diverse nation
remains a great way to relax, unwind
and bond as a family. Unfortunately, 2020
proved to be a particularly deadly year
on the roads despite much less traffic.
Preliminary data for last year show that
more than 40,000 people perished in road
crashes.
Percentage wise, this was the largest
year-over-year increase in road deaths
since 1924, according to the National
Safety Council. These chilling figures
remind us of the need to be safe on
our roads. Vehicle maintenance after
long periods of no driving is critical to
safety. Motorists should have a qualified
technician inspect and repair their
vehicles prior to a long road trip, with
attention given to proper tire pressure
and battery service, the top items we
get calls for at AAA. Fluid checks and
examination of belts and hoses are also
critical.
The looming increase in car travel this
summer calls attention to our nation’s
poor infrastructure. Awful pavement
conditions, along with masses of
functionally obsolete and structurally
deficient bridges, cost drivers billions in
repairs, create congestion, and lead to
fatal and injury crashes. New York State
is meeting the need with a record $6.1
billion in funding for road and bridge
repair and construction in the latest
budget. The federal government is negotiating
a massive infrastructure bill
that promises to significantly improve
conditions.
Travel is a major part of the U.S. economy.
As we emerge from the dark days
of the pandemic, taking a trip will be
part of what makes our nation return
to economic strength. We must do all
we can to make sure it happens safely.
POINT OF VIEW
A National Day of Remembrance
Honoring Nursing Home Lives Lost
Presented by Gray Panthers NYC
THURSDAY, MAY 20, 2021
— 5:00-6:00 PM ET —
A national online event to honor more than 182,000 nursing home lives lost to COVID-19
Program highlights include
• Reflections by spiritual leaders
• Statements by elected officials
• Shared testimonials
• Musical tributes
RSVP: https://hnhl.eventbrite.com
Sponsored by
www.graypanthersnyc.org
/LONGISLANDPRESS.COM
/www.graypanthersnyc.org
/hnhl.eventbrite.com
/hnhl.eventbrite.com
/www.graypanthersnyc.org
