New Normal Road Anxiety, Unsafe Driving & Revenge Travel

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Cobra Electronics, the leading designer of award-winning automotive, mobile and consumer electronics including dash cams, radar detectors, CB radios and more, today released a nationwide study of American driving habits that have emerged post-pandemic. Coming at an inflection point of a “new normal”, the findings point to a clear increase in road anxiety as more Americans feel the pandemic has spurred people into driving more unsafely. In tandem, American’s still feel that need to travel – with road trips on the rise now more than ever.

“Like every other aspect of our lives, driving has changed significantly in the past two years – and with it has brought a clear need to be better prepared sharing the road with other vehicles,” said Gail Babitt, CEO of Cedar Electronics (parent company of Cobra Electronics). “As we emerge from the empty roads at the beginning of the pandemic to the current ‘revenge travel’ we’re seeing this summer, it’s important for today’s drivers to invest in the tools to feel safe and confident behind the wheel – whether it’s a dash cam, jump starter, or anything else for those ‘just in case’ moments.”

The findings came from a nationwide survey of 2,000 Americans, independent from Cobra Electronics customer base, conducted in June 2021. Among the study’s highlights:

  • The pandemic has increased Americans feeling more anxious on the road: 65% of respondents claim to feel more anxious in vehicles now compared to before the pandemic, with over half of drivers “always” or “often” feeling anxious about other drivers’ behavior. This may come as a result in a finding that points to the average American having at least three “close calls” in the past two years alone.
  • Three in five Americans agree the pandemic has made people drive more unsafely: This may be why a similar percentage (62%) say it’s more important to drive safely now more than ever.
  • Over half of Americans wouldn’t know what to do if their vehicle broke down: Showing a need for more education around common automotive tools like tire inflators, jump starters, battery chargers and more.
  • In tandem, lack of vehicle preparation remains the top challenge people face when driving long distances: Followed closely behind by weather hazards and/or vehicle mechanical trouble (34% each). This explains why over a quarter of respondents would be willing to sacrifice a day of their weekend if it meant they could ensure a smooth trip.
  • Despite uneasiness, road trips are still increasing compared to pre-pandemic levels: Even with gas prices skyrocketing, “revenge travel” is emerging – with over half of American’s planning on taking more road trips this summer compared to 2019.

The findings of Cobra Electronics’ full study can be found here. Cobra’s full lineup of driver safety tools including dash cams, CB radios, walkie talkies, radar detectors and more can be found here.