Foster City, CA (June 5, 2019) – Nearly half of American drivers surveyed say that rising gas prices are stopping them from heading out on a road trip this summer, according to results of a motorist sutdy released today by CarInsurance.com, a one-stop destination for unbiased, expert advice on car insurance.
Soon, the school year will be in the rear-view mirror, and families across the nation will hit the road for a good old-fashioned summer road trip. To kick off the season, CarInsurance.com surveyed 1,000 drivers to find out how they feel when behind the wheel, what their family road trip experiences are like, what they do to cope with traffic and what types of mishaps they've had due to poor road conditions.
CarInsurance.com finds that 44 percent of people say that gas prices are preventing them from taking the family on a road trip. That’s an increase from 36 percent last year.
Another reason drivers may skip a summer road trip is that they can’t take time off from work. Nearly one-third of respondents pointed to not being able to take off time.
CarInsurance.com reports that the vast majority of people enjoy family road trips, despite some mentioning that a family member had a meltdown before the adventure was underway. More than 90 percent say they’ve taken a family road trip over the past five years. Only 17 percent of respondents claim to prefer air travel over road trips. Most of those who favor the road say those trips are just more enjoyable than heading to an airport.
How do people describe family road trips this year compared to 2018?
How drivers described their family road trip experience |
2019 |
2018 |
|
Super fun, we will do it again |
73% |
69% |
|
Stressful, yet enjoyable |
36% |
40% |
|
Much more fighting than at home |
8% |
7% |
|
Someone had a meltdown within an hour of the trip |
12% |
7% |
|
Someone had a meltdown before we left the neighborhood |
6% |
3% |
How Americans cope with traffic
While on the road, more than three-quarters of drivers surveyed say they feel contentment or relaxed when driving. A mere 10 percent feel either stressed or rage-y.
However, one headache associated with road trips is traffic.
How do Americans cope when they get stuck in traffic?
- 74 percent coped by listening to music
- 39 percent talked or texted on the phone
- 32 percent listened to news
- 29 percent ate an entire meal
- 23 percent listened to audiobooks or podcasts
- 19 percent listened to sports radio
- 13 percent got work done
- 11 percent cried
- 11 percent called people who they weren’t particularly close to because they were bored
Accidents, dings and dents
Poor road conditions also caused 20 percent of drivers surveyed to have a one-car accident, 19 percent report getting into an accident with another car.
Just one accident can raise your yearly car insurance rate by 32 percent, or $450 a year, on average, according to CarInsurance.com’s rate data analysis.
Whether you've experienced an accident or not, you can save on car insurance by comparing rates, says Penny Gusner, CarInsurance.com consumer analyst. “You can always save money by comparison shopping, as pricing varies significantly among insurers for the same coverage,” says Gunser. “But you should definitely shop around after an accident. Your current company may assess risk differently than others, so may no longer be the most affordable. Our rate analysis of six major insurers shows drivers can save an average of $1,000 by comparing car insurance quotes after an accident.”
To view the full report and methodology, please visit CarInsurance.com to access it here. URL
About CarInsurance.com
CarInsurance.com is owned and operated by QuinStreet, Inc. (Nasdaq: QNST), a pioneer in delivering online marketplace solutions to match searchers with brands in digital media. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information and tools they need to research, find and select the products and brands that meet their needs. CarInsurance.com is a member of the company’s expert research and publishing division.
CarInsurance.com is a one-stop online destination for car insurance information, providing unbiased, expert advice on how to shop for insurance plans, what consumers should pay and what coverage they can get from a policy. Since 2003, CarInsurance.com has been educating consumers through its breadth of expert content, tools, and in-depth studies to help site visitors make informed decisions about their car insurance.
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