Most Commonly Forgotten Travel Items: AAA Survey

WALNUT CREEK, CA — As travel picks up again, AAA Northern California has published a list of the items travelers forget most often.

In May, the Walnut Creek-based auto club surveyed more than 2,000 residents of California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Alaska or Wyoming. Respondents were all age 18 or over who have taken a trip in the past two years, or plan to take one in the next year.

Of all respondents, 51 percent said they forget an important item when traveling.

The five most commonly forgotten road trip items were:

1. Toothbrush or toothpaste
2. Cell phone charger
3. Hair related products (brushes, razors, product)
4. Underwear or socks
5. Other articles of clothing

Of Californians, 38 percent of respondents said they forgot sunscreen — a higher percentage than those in Nevada and Arizona. Thirty-five percent of Californians also said they feel the most stressed when they’ve left something behind for themselves or their children.

AAA Northern California’s survey also measured generational travel tendencies. It found that Baby Boomers on average reported forgetting one or two things, while Millennials and Gen Zers were likely to forget three or more things.

AAA Northern California also said in general, those who travel with pets were more likely to have a structured packing style, with a process and checklist. Thirty-seven percent of pet-accompanied travelers said they were extremely or very stressed when they forget something important for their pet, while slightly fewer — 31 percent of respondents — said they feel extreme stress when they forget something important for their children.

On the return trip, 35% of all respondents said they’ve left a cell phone charger behind at a destination. Cell phone chargers were also the most commonly left item, according to the survey.