IRVING, Texas, Nov. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost half (44
percent) of Texas 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 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 Texas driver has experienced more than five
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 80 percent of Texas 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 American drivers 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 Texans have experienced an auto
breakdown or other situation:
- Seventy-one percent have experienced a flat tire, 70 percent
have had a dead car battery, 64 percent had a car that wouldn't
start, and 57 percent have been in an accident.
- Fifty-nine percent say they have locked keys in the car, 34
percent have run out of gas.
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
Texas drivers have routine
maintenance performed on their vehicles and the occurrence of a
disabled vehicle.
- 66 percent of Texas drivers
say they keep up with all routine maintenance and service on their
car. Nationally, of the 62 percent who report regular maintenance,
an average of 3.7 occurrences, while drivers who report less
frequent maintenance and service report 5.7 occurrences.
- Nationally, 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)
- One in five Texans (20 percent) say the economic downturn has
caused them to delay or skip routine maintenance of their car.
Mr. and Ms. Fix-it
Drivers in Texas 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 residents say they're confident in their
ability to fix the following problems by themselves without help
from another person: a flat tire (75 percent confident), an empty
gas tank (90 percent), a dead battery (78 percent), keys locked in
the car (77 percent), and a blown fuse (63 percent).
Survival of the most prepared
Just 49 percent of Texas
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.
While most Texas 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-one percent have a spare tire and 89 percent have a jack
and tire iron.
- Sixty-one percent have a flash light, 66 percent have jumper
cables, 63 percent have a cell phone charger, and 56 percent have a
basic automotive tool kit.
- Forty-four percent have a first aid kit and 35 percent have a
warm blanket.
- Just 25 percent say they have emergency drinking water, 18
percent say they have flares, and only 12 percent say they have
emergency food.
Who you gonna call?
Fewer than a quarter Texans drivers say that their first
instinct would be to call a roadside assistance service in the case
of a disabled or undrivable vehicle during their average daily
driving. In the case of a disabled vehicle far from home, however,
Texas drivers would be more than
twice as likely to call a roadside assistance service. So who are
they calling?
- Forty-five percent say they would call a friend or family
member, while 27 percent would try to fix the problem themselves.
Three percent would call the police, wait for other emergency
assistance or flag down another driver.
Roadside assistance by the numbers
Fifty-three percent of Texas
residents say they belong or subscribe to a roadside assistance
service, but roadside assistance service membership varies by
household income level. Sixty-two percent of those who subscribe to
a roadside assistance service have used it at least once, and 12
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. Additional interviews were
conducted in 12 states (Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, New
Jersey, New York,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Carolina and
Washington). In the state of
Texas, additional interviews were
conducted in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San
Antonio. The margin of error for oversampled states is +9.8
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