NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost half (45
percent) of American drivers say they plan on taking a road trip of
two or more hours during the upcoming holiday season. That's
according to the Allstate 2011 Good Hands Roadside(SM) Assistance
Survey, which also found that drivers, despite having considerable
experience with disabled vehicles, underestimate the chance they
will encounter mayhem on the road.
The survey reveals that the average American driver has
experienced more than four individual instances of a disabled
vehicle, and nearly two in three have suffered some form of
inconvenience or delay because of it. One in five Americans has
been stranded for more than two hours due to a disabled
vehicle.
Yet 84 percent of drivers say it's not likely that they would
find themselves in a situation where their car is not drivable due
to a mechanical breakdown or a number of other common problems.
This sense of security is even shared by 82 percent of those who
have personally experienced four or more such situations.
Break down
Despite what drivers say they think will happen, the reality is
that the overwhelming majority of Americans have experienced an
auto breakdown or other situation:
- Seventy-nine percent have experienced a flat tire, 77 percent
have had a dead car battery, 68 percent had a car that wouldn't
start, and 67 percent have been in an accident.
- Fifty-nine percent say they have locked keys in the car, 33
percent have lost keys, 38 percent have run out of gas, and 36
percent have had their car vandalized, broken into or stolen.
Maintenance has its benefits
Many occurrences of disabled vehicles happen as a result of
unforeseen accidents, unavoidable circumstances, or simply bad luck
– situations over which drivers have little or no control. But the
survey reveals there may be a correlation between how frequently
drivers have routine maintenance performed on their vehicles and
the occurrence of a disabled vehicle.
- The 63 percent of drivers who say they keep up with all routine
maintenance and service on their car report an average of 3.7
occurrences, while drivers who report less frequent maintenance and
service report 5.7 occurrences.
- Drivers who keep up with all routine maintenance are less
likely than those who don't keep up with all maintenance to have:
- Had a dead battery (72 percent versus 87 percent)
- Had a car that would not start (62 percent versus 80
percent)
- Run out of gas (33 percent versus 46 percent)
- Nearly a quarter of American drivers (22 percent) say the
economic downturn has caused them to delay or skip routine
maintenance of their car.
Mr. and Ms. Fix-it
Drivers express a high level of confidence in their own ability
to fix common problems that can occur to their cars while
driving.
- Solid majorities of Americans say they're confident in their
ability to fix the following problems by themselves without help
from another person: a flat tire (77 percent confident), an empty
gas tank (87 percent), a dead battery (74 percent), keys locked in
the car (69 percent), and a blown fuse (67 percent).
- Regarding every one of these potential problems, men are
considerably more confident in their abilities to fix the problem.
The percentage saying they're "very confident" in their ability to
fix the following problems are: a flat tire (88 percent men/39
percent women), an empty gas tank (77 percent/60 percent), a dead
battery (72 percent/39 percent), keys locked in the car (51
percent/39 percent), and a blown fuse (71 percent/29 percent).
Survival of the most prepared
Just 51 percent of American drivers say they're confident that
they would be able to survive with the items currently in their car
if they were stranded for up to three days. Men are significantly
more confident in their ability to survive (62 percent) than women
(40 percent).
While most American drivers say they currently have the bare
emergency essentials in their car, a much lower percentage report
having the full list of recommended items, and many drivers say
they're missing some crucial safety aids.
- Ninety-five percent have a spare tire and 93 percent have a
jack and tire iron.
- Seventy-two percent have a flash light, 69 percent have jumper
cables, 68 percent have a cell phone charger, and 60 percent have a
basic automotive tool kit.
- Fifty percent have a first aid kit and 47 percent have a warm
blanket.
- Just 30 percent say they have emergency drinking water, 24
percent say they have flares, and only 16 percent say they have
emergency food.
Who you gonna call?
Fewer than three in ten American drivers say that their first
instinct would be to call a roadside assistance service in the case
of a disabled vehicle during their average daily driving. In the
case of a disabled vehicle far from home, however, American drivers
would be nearly twice as likely to call a roadside assistance
service. So who are they calling?
- Forty percent say they would call a friend or family member,
while 28 percent would try to fix the problem themselves. Four
percent would call the police, wait for other emergency assistance
or flag down another driver.
- Women are most likely to seek help from someone they know, with
54 percent saying their first instinct would be to call a friend or
family member.
- Men are most likely to take the "go it alone" route, with 44
percent saying their first instinct would be to try to fix the
problem themselves. Twenty-five percent would call a friend or
family member.
Roadside assistance by the numbers
- Sixty-one percent of Americans say they belong or subscribe to
a roadside assistance service, but roadside assistance service
membership varies by household income level.
- Only 52 percent of those with a household income of less than
$50,000 belong to a service, compared
to 72 percent of those in $100,000+ households.
- Drivers with older cars are less likely to belong to a roadside
assistance service. Eighty percent of drivers with a car one year
old or newer belong to a service, compared to 64 percent of those
with a two-to-five year-old car, 57 percent of those with a
six-to-ten year-old car, and 56 percent of those with a car that is
10 years old or more.
- Eighty percent of those who subscribe to a roadside assistance
service have used it at least once, and 20 percent have used it
five times or more.
About Good Hands Roadside
Good Hands Roadside Assistance, which Allstate introduced last
year, is the first free-to-join, pay-per-use, roadside assistance
service that is available to all drivers, not just Allstate
customers.
A member in need of roadside assistance can call 1-800-ALLSTATE
and receive access to a 24/7 nationwide network of reputable towing
companies. The program offers pre-negotiated, flat rates that the
average consumer may not be able to access without a membership.
Consumers with passenger cars or light trucks will pay a flat rate
of $75 for a tow up to 10 miles and
$50 for other roadside events such as
service for a flat tire, a dead battery or keys locked inside a
car.
About the Survey
The survey of American drivers age 18 and over was conducted
October 12-17, 2011, among a
nationally representative sample of 1,000 American adults reached
via landline and cell phone. The margin of error for the national
sample of drivers is +3.1 percent. The survey was conducted by FTI
Consulting, Inc. (FTI) for Allstate.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer known for its "You're In Good
Hands With Allstate®" slogan. Now celebrating its 80th anniversary
as an insurer, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to
help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and
better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance
products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through
Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive
financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and
1-800 Allstate®.
SOURCE The Allstate Corporation