Nearly 3 in 4 Drivers Are Anxious About Driving During Wintry Weather, and 1 in 7 Aren't Confident at All
According to the most recent LowCostInsurance survey, a sizable proportion of drivers (73 percent) expressed anxiety or fear of driving in inclement weather such as snow, sleet, or ice. In fact, only 43% of drivers felt very confident driving in these conditions.
According to our survey of nearly 1,100 licensed drivers, women were nearly three times more likely than men to express doubt about their ability to drive in snowy or icy conditions. Meanwhile, Gen Zers were the most concerned about driving in bad weather — 10 percentage points more concerned than the next most concerned age group.
A lack of preparation is one factor that contributes to a lack of confidence. According to our survey, few people properly maintain their vehicles for slick conditions by checking tire pressure and tread. Furthermore, 48% believe they did not receive a thorough education on driving in bad weather.
73% of drivers are anxious about driving in wintry weather, and 15% aren't confident at all
The proportion of nervous, insecure drivers varies by location, gender, and age. While more than seven out of ten drivers are concerned about driving in wintry conditions, women are more concerned about being behind the wheel in snow or ice. Eighty percent of women reported feeling anxious while driving in winter conditions, compared to 68 percent of men.
Almost a quarter of women (23%) went on to say they are not at all confident in their ability to drive on snow or icy roads. Only 26% described themselves as very confident, a significantly lower proportion than the 58% of men who were very confident in their driving abilities.
Across generations, there was a similar disparity. A higher proportion of young drivers are concerned about driving in bad weather. Winter weather makes 84 percent of Gen Z drivers anxious, which is at least ten percentage points higher than any other age group. Following Gen Zers, fewer millennials (74%), Gen Xers (71%), and baby boomers (69%) expressed concern about driving in inclement weather.
Despite these findings, Gen Xers were found to be the least confident about driving in slick conditions. One-fifth of Gen Zers described themselves as unconfident, compared to only 8% of Gen Zers.
Finally, those living in the Northeast and South were the most likely to be concerned about driving in bad weather. Seventy-six percent of those living in the snowy Northeast reported feeling uneasy, while only 8% were completely confident they could still drive in bad weather. Seventy-five percent of Southern drivers were concerned about driving in inclement weather, with 22 percent completely unsure.
Unprepared for driving in bad weather, 48% of drivers don't think they were taught enough to feel fully confident in their abilities
According to the results of our survey, there is a widespread lack of preparedness for winter weather among drivers. In fact, 57 percent of drivers haven't checked the tread depth of their tires in the last two months. It's critical to keep an eye on tire tread because a thick tread depth improves a car's ability to grip the road and stop safely. Dangerously low tread depth contributes to a more uncontrollable vehicle, particularly in poor road conditions.
Less than half of drivers check the air pressure in their tires on a monthly basis. It's a good idea to check tire pressure on a regular basis, as cold temperatures, as well as the natural wear and tear of driving, can deplete pressure. In fact, 6% cannot recall ever measuring the air pressure in their tires. Driving on low-pressure tires, like driving on poor tire tread, can lead to poor handling and exacerbate the problems caused by slick roads.
Winter weather not only causes poor driving conditions, but it can also reduce a vehicle's fuel mileage because the car expends more energy to overcome engine friction and stay warm. As fuel economy declines, drivers are more likely to run out of gas in the middle of a trip. However, only 19% said they never let the amount of fuel in their cars fall below a quarter of a tank. Twenty-three percent of drivers drive with less than a quarter tank of gas most of the time, while another six percent almost never fill up until the tank is nearly empty.
According to our data, the percentage of drivers who stock their cars with necessities during the winter months varies. While more than half of drivers keep a phone charger (58%), a set of jumper cables (54%), an ice scraper (54%), and a flashlight (51% ) on hand, they are less likely to keep items that aren't useful all year. Fewer than half of drivers (45%) or 34% carry a snow brush or blanket, and even fewer stock their cars with snacks and water (29%), extra clothes (18%), a snow shovel (16%), or emergency flares (16 percent ).
These omissions could be related to education. Forty-eight percent of drivers believe they were not adequately taught how to drive in bad weather. Indeed, 35 percent of drivers — 42 percent of women and 29 percent of men — are unsure what to do if their car begins to skid. And, to alleviate anxiety while driving in bad weather, 19% pull over and 8% call a loved one, despite the dangers that these actions can pose on slick roads with reduced visibility.
One-quarter of drivers have had their cars damaged by winter weather, but more have been in an accident because of wintry conditions
One-third of drivers said they were in an accident caused by snow, ice, or other wintry weather. Men were more likely than women to have been in an accident, with 38% having been in a wreck under these conditions, compared to 27% of women. Millennials admitted to being involved in crashes at the highest rate of any demographic.
Sixty-three percent of all drivers who have been in an accident said that other vehicles were involved, while 37 percent said they were in a single-car accident. Half of all drivers have been stuck in the snow before, with 69 percent of Midwest drivers and 57 percent of Northeast drivers having been caught in the snow.
When we asked drivers how their car insurance company handled winter-related auto damage, 65 percent said they were responsible for costs that their insurance providers did not cover. In fact, only 24% of drivers reported that their insurer covered all costs. More often than not, policyholders were required to pay. While four out of ten people had to pay less than $1,000 for repairs, one-quarter had to pay more than $1,000. These expenses, when combined with the cost increase experienced by policyholders as a result of an accident, can be significant.
Methodology
Qualtrics was hired by LowCostInsurance to conduct an online survey of 1,124 licensed drivers on January 25-26, 2021. The survey was administered with a nonprobability sample, and quotas were used to ensure that the sample base represented the entire population. All responses were reviewed for quality control by researchers.
In 2021, we defined generations as the following ages:
- Generation Z: 18 to 24
- Millennial: 25 to 40
- Generation X: 41 to 55
- Baby boomer: 56 to 75
While the survey included consumers from the silent generation (those aged 76 and up), the sample size was insufficient to include findings from that group in the generational breakdowns.