By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

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 study released by CarInsurance.com, a one-stop destination for 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 found that 44 percent of people said 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, according to a news release.

The research also revealed that the vast majority of people enjoy family road trips, despite some respondents 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.

While on the road, 44 percent of drivers surveyed say they feel contentment when driving. A mere 10 percent feel either stressed or “rage-y.”

However, one noted headache associated with road trips is traffic.

Approximately 11 percent called people who they weren’t particularly close to because they were bored.

The survey found that poor road conditions also caused 20 percent of drivers 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, according to Penny Gusner, CarInsurance.com consumer analyst.

“You can always save money by comparison shopping, as pricing varies significantly among insurers for the same coverage,” Gusner said.

“But you should definitely shop around after an accident. Your current company may assess risk differently than others, so it may no longer be the most affordable,” she said.

Gusner added: “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 visit, https://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/2019-family-road-trip-report

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