This August bank holiday weekend many people will be ‘gearing’ up to hit the roads, with the average driver spending a total of 251 minutes in the car travelling to and from their destination, with the most popular hot spots being Cornwall, Devon and the Lake District. However, research from car insurance provider 1ST CENTRAL has revealed that two thirds of Brits (64 per cent) suffer from road-trip-phobia and dread spending long periods of time in the car.
When it comes to what sets off road-trip-phobia, the biggest triggers were found to be heavy traffic, with a third of motorists (29 per cent) admitting this drives them round the bend, tiresome drives (20 per cent) and being uncomfortable in the car (14 per cent). Back seat driving puts a tenth of motorists (11 per cent) off longer journeys, and a quarter of drivers (24 per cent), can’t survive long road-trips without 4G or a Wi-Fi signal, especially social savvy people under 30, with a third (29 per cent) saying this is essential for a good trip.
To keep their families entertained on long journeys it seems that parents have a few tricks up their sleeves. A quarter (24 per cent) admitted they would bribe their children with sweets if it ensured a peaceful drive, and a third (35 per cent) will splash the cash on new tech accessories to keep their children entertained. A sixth (14 per cent) will even forgo their own playlists to play nursery rhymes on repeat if it keeps the kids happy, putting their own sanity at risk.
To help drivers along the road, 1ST CENTRAL has created a set of hacks to help create the perfect road trip. All motorists really need is a steady flow of air to keep them alert, a working sat-nav so they don’t have pesky instructions from back seat drivers, snacks that are easy to clean should the kids spill them, and a minimum of three toilet stops to keep your passengers happy.
