The bar chart and pie chart illustrate the principal motives behind journeys made by Americans and the main difficulties they faced while travelling in 2009.
Overall, commuting dominated travel purposes, whereas the cost of transportation eclipsed every other concern. At the opposite end of each chart, visiting friends or relatives and limited pedestrian space were the least significant factors.
In terms of why people travelled, commuting accounted for 49% of all trips, a figure that was more than double the proportion recorded for personal purposes at 19%. Shopping was cited for 16% of journeys, while outings for social or recreational reasons reached 10%. The smallest share belonged to visits to friends or relatives, at only 6%.
Turning to the issues confronting travellers, the price of travel was identified by 36% of respondents, placing it far ahead of safety worries, which stood at 19%. Aggressive drivers were mentioned by 17%, narrowly exceeding highway congestion at 14%. Concerns about access to public transport represented 8%, whereas a lack of space for pedestrians occupied the final position, at just 6%.