The majority of motorists don’t have winter emergency kits in their cars according to new Aviva research
21 November 2024, Dublin: As we approach the colder, darker days of winter, new research has found that most Irish motorists don’t have the staples of a winter emergency kit in their car. Only 43% of drivers have a warning triangle, with only the same percentage having a high-viz vest. One in five (22%) have a blanket in their car while even less (14%) have a spare container of anti-freeze, and less than half have a torch (40%), jump leads (31%), or a spare bottle of water (28%). While most drivers (74%) claim to have a mobile phone in the car, 6% of respondents to the survey said that they don’t have any of these.
This is according to the findings of a new survey[1] by Aviva Insurance Ireland DAC (Aviva) which examined how prepared motorists are in the event of breakdown when driving, and where they may become an ‘unintended pedestrian’ on the road. The research also found that more than half of drivers don’t have equipment in their car which could prove vital if they become unintended pedestrians, regardless of the time of year.
The Aviva survey found that:
- Those aged 55+ are more likely to carry safety equipment in their car, with higher percentages having a mobile phone, high-viz vest, warning triangle, torch, first aid kit and an ice scraper.
- Female respondents to the survey were more likely to carry a mobile phone (80% v’s 68%) with them when driving, men are more likely than women to carry safety equipment in their cars.
- Survey respondents aged 18-34 were the least likely to carry safety equipment in their cars.
- The top five most likely things drivers have in car which would prove useful in the event of a breakdown or if they become an unintended pedestrian are mobile phones (74%), high-vis vests (43%), warning triangles (43%) and first aid kit (41%). The least likely things they will have in their car in this regard are fire extinguishers (13%) and a container of antifreeze (14%).
Typically, it is in the winter that some of the worst weather is thrown at us – including floods, ice, snow, and freezing temperatures. Having a winter emergency kit in your car could be a lifesaver if you’re stranded or face a break down during the coldest and most inclement months of the year. This kit should include items like a warning triangle, a high-viz vest, a blanket, extra clothing, a shovel, jump leads, a torch, snacks, and spare anti-freeze. It is worrying that most drivers don’t have most, if any of these things in their car.
Alan Behan, Motor Product Manager, Aviva explained
“In France, it is illegal to drive a car unless you have a warning triangle and high-vis vest in it – yet here in Ireland, it’s very much the luck of the draw as to whether these items are in a driver’s car. There is a strong argument for it to become mandatory in Ireland for drivers to have these items in their car at all times. In the event of a breakdown or collision, these items could save the lives of the unintended pedestrian and indeed others on the road at that time. The absence of these items could unfortunately result in a serious accident,” concluded Alan Behan.