New survey reveals only one in 10 drivers keep essential emergency supplies in their vehicle
Birmingham, AL, January 17, 2013 - Finding yourself stranded in your car due to treacherous conditions like snow, ice, poor visibility and slick roads only to discover you have junk in the trunk, rather than the necessary roadside emergency supplies, can place you and your family in jeopardy.
According to a new survey by State Farm® and KRC Research, more than 60 percent of drivers had some sort of “junk” (non-emergency supplies) in their trunk ranging from extra clothes and shoes to used food or drink containers. While 99 percent of drivers had at least one emergency supply in their vehicle, such as spare tire or jumper cables, a mere nine percent carried all the essential emergency roadside supplies, including:
“Even on a relatively short trip, you can find yourself stranded for several hours,” said State Farm spokesman Roszell Gadson. “These new findings highlight the importance of having the right emergency equipment so people can safely get back on the road faster.”
Gadson also recommends drivers check at least twice a year to ensure the equipment is in working order. This means spare tires are properly inflated, first-aid supplies are current, all other supplies are fully stocked, and the cell phone charger is compatible with either a power outlet or an USB port in your car. Communication capability can be the number one lifeline in some roadside emergency cases.
New survey findings also revealed that sedan drivers (63 percent) are less likely to carry emergency supplies compared to SUV and truck owners (75 percent and 73 percent respectively). Also, only two in five drivers said they check that the emergency supplies in their vehicle are working at least twice a year, in line with what State Farm recommends.
State Farm encourages responsible driving every day of the year, and especially during cold weather months when inclement weather is more common. If you are stranded on the road, follow these tips:
This survey was designed and conducted by KRC Research. Interviews were conducted by an omnibus telephone (landline and cell phone) survey between December 6 and December 9, 2012. The landline and cell phone combined sample is a dual frame sampling design. This means that the sample is drawn from two independent non-overlapping sample frames-one for landlines and one for cell phones.
In all, 1,010 U.S. adults, age 18 and older, were interviewed. 659 interviews were from the landline sample and 351 interviews from the cell phone sample. Of those respondents interviewed, 895 qualified as drivers of a car; and the results of this survey are based on this sample. The data were weighted by age, sex, geographic region, race, and education to ensure reliable and accurate representation of the national population age 18 and over.
For additional information and emergency roadside tips, visit
http://learningcenter.statefarm.com/safety-2/auto-2/worst-case-winter-driving-survival/
Roszell Gadson, State Farm Public Affairs, (770) 418-5940.
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.
