Survey: What Stresses American Parents Most On Family Road Trips?

November 14, 2017 by Chevrolet

Spoiler alert: It's not the kids

•New survey finds that nearly 2 out of 3 parents say traffic is the most stressful part of a family road trip

•New in-car technology offers parents added peace of mind when hitting the road

•Parents typically bring an average of 6.6 mobile devices in the vehicle on family road trips

DETROIT — As millions of Americans prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving holiday travel, a new survey conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Chevrolet reveals that keeping the kids entertained and hearing the ever-present 'Are we there yet?' ranked lower than traffic, packing and cost when it comes to the top family road trip stressors. The Harris Poll surveyed 1,063 U.S. parents1 of children under 18 to explore the state of the American family road trip.

As traffic levels are projected to increase during the upcoming Thanksgiving travel week, parents indicated that in-vehicle technologies can improve the family road trip experience by making gridlock more bearable.

Technology offered in vehicles such as the all-new Chevrolet Traverse can give parents added peace and quiet on the road. More than half of American parents (56 percent) said that Wi-Fi/internet connectivity would help make family road trips more enjoyable, making it the top in-vehicle tech on their wish list for family road trips.

'The vehicle is the new family dinner table, where memories are created and bonds grow strong,' said Steve Majoros, director of marketing, Chevrolet Cars and Crossovers. 'As families prepare to hit the road this holiday to spend time with friends and family, they can depend on crossovers like the 2018 Chevrolet Traverse and Equinox to meet their needs, from storage space to USB outlets, available 4G LTE Wi-Fi and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto2 compatibility.'

The survey also revealed that, despite stressful or unexpected moments, the spirit of the American family road trip remains alive and well. The vast majority of American parents (93 percent) say they enjoy road trips with their family, with more than half (53 percent) saying they 'love' them.

The top reasons for America's love affair with family road trips? Chevrolet and Harris Poll find that spending time with family (80 percent) ranked as parents' favorite thing about road trips, followed by exploring and stopping at interesting locations/destinations (69 percent). The following results are based on the survey:

TECHNOLOGY AND ITS IMPACT ON THE FAMILY ROAD TRIP

In-car Wi-Fi sits at the top of parents' wish list for better road trips:

•56 percent of parents say that having Wi-Fi/internet connectivity would help make their family road trips more enjoyable.

•Nearly three in 10 parents who take family road trips but do not have Wi-Fi/internet connectivity in their car say they would be more likely to take longer (29 percent) or more frequent (28 percent) family road trips if their vehicle had Wi-Fi/connectivity.

•Of those who do have Wi-Fi/internet connectivity in their cars, more than half of parents who take road trips said they are more likely to take longer (54 percent) or more frequent (56 percent) family road trips because of the feature.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THE LOVE OF THE FAMILY ROAD TRIP

The vast majority of American parents enjoy taking road trips, and so do their kids:

•93 percent of all parents say they like or love taking road trips with their family, including more than half (53 percent) who 'love' it. Of those who take road trips, 95 percent like or love them, including 55 percent who say they 'love' them.

•Kids like spending time on the road with their families as well: 90 percent of parents who take road trips say their kids also enjoy time on the road.

•86 percent of American parents who took road trips when they were growing up say they have 'a lot of fond memories' from childhood that took place on family road trips, including nearly half (49 percent) who strongly agree.

Family time and new explorations drive America's love of road trips:

•Spending time with family (80 percent) and exploring and stopping at interesting locations and destinations (69 percent) are parents' top two favorite aspects of family road trips.

•Unplugging from everyday life (49 percent), indulging in foods and snacks (44 percent) and being out on the open road (45 percent) round out the top five favorite parts of taking family road trips.

What stresses parents out the most on family road trips? It's not the kids:

•Traffic and other unexpected delays is by far the most stressful part of the family road trip, according to nearly two in three parents (63%).

•Only about one in four parents (26%) are most stressed by getting asked 'are we there yet?' and just under one in three (31%) find it stressful to keep the kids entertained.

BY THE NUMBERS: QUICK STATS ON THE STATE OF THE AMERICAN FAMILY ROAD TRIP

•Is there a 'perfect' road trip length? The consensus is yes. American parents who take road trips believe that the 'perfect' family road trip length is typically six hours.

•Tech savvy: Parents who take road trips today bring 6.6 mobile devices, on average, in the vehicle.

•Which wheels are best? Nearly two-thirds of all American parents (63 percent) say they would prefer to take a family road trip in an SUV over any other type of vehicle, with more than two in five (42 percent) preferring a large SUV with three rows.

•A family affair: 67 percent of parents who take road trips involve their children in the planning.

A CLOSER LOOK AT CHEVROLET

In time for holiday travel, Chevrolet vehicles provide families a home away from home where they can make special memories on the road.

Chevrolet was the first automaker to offer 4G LTE Wi-Fi on its cars, trucks and crossovers, and has offered Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in most of its lineup since 2015, helping families stay connected on the road.

Along with available safety features such as the Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert, Surround Vision and Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Chevrolet aims to help loved ones stay safe, comfortable and connected on long trips.

Other available technology and safety features include:

•Rear Cross Traffic Alert

•Rear Park Assist

•Forward Collision Alert

•Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking

•Rear Seat Reminder

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Chevrolet between Oct. 19 and Oct. 27, 2017, among 1,063 adults ages 18+ who are the parent or legal guardian of a child/children under the age of 18 residing in their household ('parents'). For complete research method, including subgroup sample sizes and weighting variables, contact Katie Amann at katie.amann@chevrolet.com

ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

1'For the purposes of this release, 'parents' refers to the total sample of US parents of children under 18 (n=1,063).'

2Compatible apps need to be downloaded to a phone before using. Apple and Google's privacy statements and terms of use apply. Data plan rates may also apply.

Photo credit: Chevrolet
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