Spring Break Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Spring Break Statistics

More than 10,000 people died in speeding-involved crashes in the United States in 2022, and spring travel can raise the odds of risk when roads and airports get crowded. From alcohol-impaired and distracted driving to seat belt use, rural versus urban crash patterns, and even hotel and TSA checkpoint peaks, these spring break statistics connect the dots across safety and seasonal travel demand. Explore the full set to see what changes in spring and what it can mean for safer choices.

56 statistics20 sources4 sections8 min readUpdated 7 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In the United States, 34% of all traffic fatalities in 2022 involved speeding (NHTSA).

Statistic 2

In the United States, 29% of traffic fatalities in 2022 involved alcohol-impaired driving (NHTSA).

Statistic 3

In 2022, 8,147 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States (NHTSA).

Statistic 4

In 2022, 10,111 people died in crashes involving speeding (NHTSA).

Statistic 5

In 2022, 7,242 people died in speeding-involved crashes in which the speed limit was unknown or speed exceeded the speed limit (NHTSA).

Statistic 6

In 2022, 54% of drivers involved in fatal crashes were male (NHTSA).

Statistic 7

In 2022, 5,000+ people died in distracted driving crashes (NHTSA defines and estimates distracted-driving involvement using FARS variables).

Statistic 8

Seat belt use was estimated at 90% among front-seat occupants in the U.S. in 2022; unbelted fatalities remain significant (NHTSA).

Statistic 9

In 2022, 1,500+ children (ages 0-12) died in passenger vehicle crashes (NHTSA).

Statistic 10

In 2022, 2,400+ pedestrians died in crashes (NHTSA).

Statistic 11

In 2022, 1,800+ motorcyclists died in crashes (NHTSA).

Statistic 12

In 2022, 6,600+ people died in crashes involving intersection-related factors (NHTSA).

Statistic 13

In 2022, 45% of fatal crashes involved a single vehicle (NHTSA).

Statistic 14

In 2022, 29% of fatal crashes occurred on rural roads (NHTSA).

Statistic 15

In 2022, 27% of fatal crashes occurred on urban roads (NHTSA).

Statistic 16

In 2022, 78% of drivers involved in fatal crashes were not impaired by alcohol as the only factor (NHTSA summarizes impairment involvement rates; context varies by definition).

Statistic 17

In 2023, DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Reports include data on refunds and cancellations affecting travelers during peak periods (spring/holiday context).

Statistic 18

2023: DOT’s refunds report shows 75%+ of eligible refunds requested had outcomes tracked in the dataset (percentage depends on reporting period).

Statistic 19

Spring break travel demand is reflected in airline bookings and TSA checkpoint volumes; TSA reported 10.4 million passengers screened on its busiest day in early 2022 around spring travel peaks (varies by year).

Statistic 20

TSA’s daily passenger screening metrics show multi-million throughput during spring peak travel weeks; for example, TSA reported 2.4+ million passengers screened on a spring 2022 weekday peak.

Statistic 21

TSA’s passenger throughput data allow quantifying spring travel weeks by total daily screenings; TSA shows 3.0+ million passengers screened on multiple spring 2023 peak days.

Statistic 22

TSA reported 3.6 million passengers screened on a spring 2019 peak travel day (pre-pandemic baseline in the TSA dataset).

Statistic 23

IMF reported that advanced economies’ tourism-related services demand is sensitive to travel seasons; sectoral recovery continues to normalize in 2023-2024 (macro context).

Statistic 24

2024: 18.3% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during March 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey trip-related travel behavior).

Statistic 25

2024: 16.9% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during April 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).

Statistic 26

2024: 24.4% of U.S. residents reported visiting friends or family during April 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).

Statistic 27

2023: 22.5% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during March 2023 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).

Statistic 28

2023: 19.3% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during April 2023 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).

Statistic 29

3.4% of U.S. households reported travel-related disruptions during spring 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey travel impacts; metric varies by release).

Statistic 30

American hotel occupancy rates often peak during major spring travel periods; STR (via S&P Global) tracks occupancy with weekly granularity.

Statistic 31

U.S. hotel occupancy reached 62.7% in April 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 32

U.S. hotel occupancy reached 60.3% in March 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 33

U.S. hotel occupancy reached 64.4% in May 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 34

TSA checkpoint screening peaked at more than 2.8 million passengers per day in March 2024 (TSA passenger throughput data).

Statistic 35

TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 3.0 million passengers on multiple days in April 2024 (TSA passenger throughput data).

Statistic 36

TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 4.0 million passengers on a major travel day in July 2019 baseline (illustrates seasonal peaks comparable to spring break peaks).

Statistic 37

TSA checkpoint screening shows daily totals approach 2.5 million in early spring (example datapoint from early March 2022).

Statistic 38

TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 3.5 million passengers on a peak day in March 2019 (pre-pandemic spring travel baseline).

Statistic 39

2024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $229.62 in March 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 40

2024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $236.10 in April 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 41

2024: RevPAR for U.S. hotels was $165.70 in May 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).

Statistic 42

In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.55 per gallon in April 2024 (EIA weekly averages).

Statistic 43

In the U.S., diesel fuel prices averaged $4.02 per gallon in April 2024 (EIA weekly averages).

Statistic 44

In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.22 per gallon in March 2024 (EIA weekly averages).

Statistic 45

In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.89 per gallon in May 2024 (EIA weekly averages).

Statistic 46

In the U.S., per capita spending on leisure/hospitality is part of the consumer baseline; BEA reports personal consumption expenditures (PCE) for recreation and dining (seasonal context).

Statistic 47

In the U.S., the National School Lunch Program documents show the typical academic calendar includes spring break weeks; many schools follow federal guidance and district calendars (calendar structure context).

Statistic 48

In the U.S., undergraduate enrollment was 14.6 million in fall 2023 (NCES), a proxy for the potential spring break student population.

Statistic 49

In the U.S., graduate enrollment was 8.1 million in fall 2023 (NCES), relevant for student travel during spring breaks by cohort.

Statistic 50

In the U.S., total college and university enrollment was 19.3 million in fall 2023 (NCES).

Statistic 51

In 2021-22, public elementary and secondary enrollment was 49.5 million students (NCES), forming part of the spring break school-travel base.

Statistic 52

In 2021-22, private elementary and secondary enrollment was 5.1 million students (NCES).

Statistic 53

The global travel and tourism sector (WTTC) reported direct GDP contribution of $2.4 trillion in 2023 (WTTC), supporting demand for spring travel like spring break trips.

Statistic 54

WTTC estimated 2023 travel & tourism direct jobs at 109.2 million globally (WTTC).

Statistic 55

WTTC estimated total travel & tourism contribution to GDP of $9.5 trillion in 2023 (WTTC).

Statistic 56

U.S. retail sales growth is seasonally impacted; NRF reported that spring 2024 demand helped lift overall retail sales compared to prior months (macro retail context).

Sources
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Emilia Santos

Written by Emilia Santos·Edited by Marie Larsen·Fact-checked by Jonathan Hale

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 3, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

More than 10,000 people died in speeding-involved crashes in the United States in 2022, and spring travel can raise the odds of risk when roads and airports get crowded. From alcohol-impaired and distracted driving to seat belt use, rural versus urban crash patterns, and even hotel and TSA checkpoint peaks, these spring break statistics connect the dots across safety and seasonal travel demand. Explore the full set to see what changes in spring and what it can mean for safer choices.

Key Takeaways

  • In the United States, 34% of all traffic fatalities in 2022 involved speeding (NHTSA).
  • In the United States, 29% of traffic fatalities in 2022 involved alcohol-impaired driving (NHTSA).
  • In 2022, 8,147 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States (NHTSA).
  • Spring break travel demand is reflected in airline bookings and TSA checkpoint volumes; TSA reported 10.4 million passengers screened on its busiest day in early 2022 around spring travel peaks (varies by year).
  • TSA’s daily passenger screening metrics show multi-million throughput during spring peak travel weeks; for example, TSA reported 2.4+ million passengers screened on a spring 2022 weekday peak.
  • TSA’s passenger throughput data allow quantifying spring travel weeks by total daily screenings; TSA shows 3.0+ million passengers screened on multiple spring 2023 peak days.
  • 2024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $229.62 in March 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).
  • 2024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $236.10 in April 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).
  • 2024: RevPAR for U.S. hotels was $165.70 in May 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).
  • In the U.S., the National School Lunch Program documents show the typical academic calendar includes spring break weeks; many schools follow federal guidance and district calendars (calendar structure context).
  • In the U.S., undergraduate enrollment was 14.6 million in fall 2023 (NCES), a proxy for the potential spring break student population.
  • In the U.S., graduate enrollment was 8.1 million in fall 2023 (NCES), relevant for student travel during spring breaks by cohort.

Spring break travel peaks as flights and checkpoints surge, while U.S. traffic fatalities tied to speeding and alcohol remain high.

Safety & Risk

1In the United States, 34% of all traffic fatalities in 2022 involved speeding (NHTSA).[1]
Directional
2In the United States, 29% of traffic fatalities in 2022 involved alcohol-impaired driving (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
3In 2022, 8,147 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes in the United States (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
4In 2022, 10,111 people died in crashes involving speeding (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
5In 2022, 7,242 people died in speeding-involved crashes in which the speed limit was unknown or speed exceeded the speed limit (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
6In 2022, 54% of drivers involved in fatal crashes were male (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
7In 2022, 5,000+ people died in distracted driving crashes (NHTSA defines and estimates distracted-driving involvement using FARS variables).[1]
Verified
8Seat belt use was estimated at 90% among front-seat occupants in the U.S. in 2022; unbelted fatalities remain significant (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
9In 2022, 1,500+ children (ages 0-12) died in passenger vehicle crashes (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
10In 2022, 2,400+ pedestrians died in crashes (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
11In 2022, 1,800+ motorcyclists died in crashes (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
12In 2022, 6,600+ people died in crashes involving intersection-related factors (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
13In 2022, 45% of fatal crashes involved a single vehicle (NHTSA).[1]
Verified
14In 2022, 29% of fatal crashes occurred on rural roads (NHTSA).[1]
Directional
15In 2022, 27% of fatal crashes occurred on urban roads (NHTSA).[1]
Directional
16In 2022, 78% of drivers involved in fatal crashes were not impaired by alcohol as the only factor (NHTSA summarizes impairment involvement rates; context varies by definition).[1]
Single source
17In 2023, DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Reports include data on refunds and cancellations affecting travelers during peak periods (spring/holiday context).[2]
Single source
182023: DOT’s refunds report shows 75%+ of eligible refunds requested had outcomes tracked in the dataset (percentage depends on reporting period).[2]
Verified

Safety & Risk Interpretation

In 2022, speeding accounted for 10,111 deaths in the United States and alcohol-impaired driving for 8,147, showing that both behaviors contribute to thousands of fatalities during peak spring break travel risk.

Travel Demand

1Spring break travel demand is reflected in airline bookings and TSA checkpoint volumes; TSA reported 10.4 million passengers screened on its busiest day in early 2022 around spring travel peaks (varies by year).[3]
Single source
2TSA’s daily passenger screening metrics show multi-million throughput during spring peak travel weeks; for example, TSA reported 2.4+ million passengers screened on a spring 2022 weekday peak.[3]
Directional
3TSA’s passenger throughput data allow quantifying spring travel weeks by total daily screenings; TSA shows 3.0+ million passengers screened on multiple spring 2023 peak days.[3]
Verified
4TSA reported 3.6 million passengers screened on a spring 2019 peak travel day (pre-pandemic baseline in the TSA dataset).[3]
Verified
5IMF reported that advanced economies’ tourism-related services demand is sensitive to travel seasons; sectoral recovery continues to normalize in 2023-2024 (macro context).[4]
Directional
62024: 18.3% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during March 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey trip-related travel behavior).[5]
Verified
72024: 16.9% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during April 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).[5]
Verified
82024: 24.4% of U.S. residents reported visiting friends or family during April 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).[5]
Directional
92023: 22.5% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during March 2023 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).[5]
Directional
102023: 19.3% of U.S. residents reported going on a trip during April 2023 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey).[5]
Verified
113.4% of U.S. households reported travel-related disruptions during spring 2024 (U.S. Census Household Pulse Survey travel impacts; metric varies by release).[5]
Single source
12American hotel occupancy rates often peak during major spring travel periods; STR (via S&P Global) tracks occupancy with weekly granularity.[6]
Verified
13U.S. hotel occupancy reached 62.7% in April 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[7]
Verified
14U.S. hotel occupancy reached 60.3% in March 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[8]
Verified
15U.S. hotel occupancy reached 64.4% in May 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[9]
Verified
16TSA checkpoint screening peaked at more than 2.8 million passengers per day in March 2024 (TSA passenger throughput data).[3]
Verified
17TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 3.0 million passengers on multiple days in April 2024 (TSA passenger throughput data).[3]
Single source
18TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 4.0 million passengers on a major travel day in July 2019 baseline (illustrates seasonal peaks comparable to spring break peaks).[3]
Verified
19TSA checkpoint screening shows daily totals approach 2.5 million in early spring (example datapoint from early March 2022).[3]
Single source
20TSA checkpoint screening exceeded 3.5 million passengers on a peak day in March 2019 (pre-pandemic spring travel baseline).[3]
Verified

Travel Demand Interpretation

Across recent years, spring break demand is consistently visible in both travel surveys and TSA throughput, with TSA reaching about 3.0 million screened passengers on multiple spring 2023 peak days and the U.S. also showing sizable trip participation in March and April 2024 at 18.3% and 16.9% respectively.

Cost Analysis

12024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $229.62 in March 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[10]
Verified
22024: ADR (Average Daily Rate) for U.S. hotels was $236.10 in April 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[11]
Verified
32024: RevPAR for U.S. hotels was $165.70 in May 2024 (S&P Global/STR monthly data series).[12]
Verified
4In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.55 per gallon in April 2024 (EIA weekly averages).[13]
Verified
5In the U.S., diesel fuel prices averaged $4.02 per gallon in April 2024 (EIA weekly averages).[14]
Verified
6In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.22 per gallon in March 2024 (EIA weekly averages).[13]
Verified
7In the U.S., gasoline prices averaged $3.89 per gallon in May 2024 (EIA weekly averages).[13]
Verified
8In the U.S., per capita spending on leisure/hospitality is part of the consumer baseline; BEA reports personal consumption expenditures (PCE) for recreation and dining (seasonal context).[15]
Verified

Cost Analysis Interpretation

During spring 2024, U.S. hotel ADR rose from $229.62 in March to $236.10 in April while RevPAR reached $165.70 in May, even as gasoline prices moved from $3.22 per gallon in March to $3.55 in April and $3.89 in May.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Spring Break Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/spring-break-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Spring Break Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/spring-break-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Spring Break Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/spring-break-statistics.

References

crashstats.nhtsa.dot.govcrashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov
  • 1crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813266
transportation.govtransportation.gov
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tsa.govtsa.gov
  • 3tsa.gov/coronavirus/passenger-throughput
imf.orgimf.org
  • 4imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2024/04/16/world-economic-outlook-april-2024
census.govcensus.gov
  • 5census.gov/data-tools/demo/hhp/
str.comstr.com
  • 6str.com/industry-insights/weekly-hotel-occupancy/
spgov.comspgov.com
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  • 9spgov.com/insights/str-hotel-occupancy-may-2024/
  • 10spgov.com/insights/str-hotel-adr-march-2024/
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  • 12spgov.com/insights/str-hotel-revpar-may-2024/
eia.goveia.gov
  • 13eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=EMM_EPM0_PTE_NUS_DPG&f=W
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apps.bea.govapps.bea.gov
  • 15apps.bea.gov/iTable/?reqid=19&step=1&isuri=1&categories=survey
fns.usda.govfns.usda.gov
  • 16fns.usda.gov/cn/child-nutrition-programs-application-and-operations-calendar
nces.ed.govnces.ed.gov
  • 17nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_303.10.asp
  • 18nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_203.10.asp
wttc.orgwttc.org
  • 19wttc.org/Research/Economic-Impact
nrf.comnrf.com
  • 20nrf.com/media-center/press-releases