Media Contact: Steven Soifer, Ph.D.
Co-founder
American Restroom Association
Ph: 443.898.2141
steven@americanrestroom.org
www.americanrestroom.org
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
December 20, 2024
American Restroom Association Offers Five Essential Tips for Planning Bathroom Breaks During Record-Breaking Holiday Travel
Catonsville, Maryland, USA – The American Automobile Administration (AAA) predicts a record-breaking 119.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more during the holidays, 90% by car. The American Restroom Association (ARA) is reminding travelers, plan ahead for bathroom breaks.
“As millions of people hit the road, skies, and rails this holiday season, it’s crucial to plan restroom stops during travel,” said Dr. Steve Soifer, Co-founder of the ARA. “We have a public toilet crisis in the USA. There are so many barriers to public restroom use. With bumper-to-bumper traffic, long lines at rest stops, crowded airports, and businesses that state ‘bathrooms for paying customers only’ (which is illegal by the way), people experience ‘restroom duress’ while traveling. ‘Restroom duress’ is especially difficult for people with medical conditions and disabilities such as Paruresis (shy bladder syndrome).”
ARA’s Five Essential Tips for Planning Holiday Bathroom Breaks:
- Plan Your Stops: Check trusted online resources, credible mapping apps, or GPS for bathroom locations and reviews. Some people have generated Google maps of US rest areas. If you encounter long lines, map alternate stops instead, such as hotels and small-town gas or charging stations.
- Use Travel Guides: Many travel guides offer insights into bathroom availability and quality, especially for those with specific needs.
- Contact Tourist Information Centers: Local tourism offices can provide information about accessible restrooms.
- Timing is Key: Time bathroom breaks with meals, charging stations, or gas station stops, just in case bathrooms are for paying customers only (which is illegal by the way).
- Find Single Occupancy: For people with disabilities such as Paruresis (shy bladder syndrome), single occupancy restrooms provide necessary privacy. Hotels and gas stations that are off the main road are often your best option.
The American Restroom Association is dedicated to improving restroom experiences across the country.
“The American public needs stress-free holiday travel. A positive and peaceful restroom experience is key to reducing stress,” said Candace Blue, Program Manager for the ARA.
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Founded in 2004, the American Restroom Association is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for clean, accessible, and well-designed public restrooms throughout the United States. Through research, public education, and collaboration, the ARA strives to promote hygiene, safety, and accessibility for the American public.
