As children return to school, many courtesy of Mum or Dad’s taxi, the amount of traffic on the roads increases – and so does the chance of being involved in an accident.
Claims data from AXA shows that the amount of claims made between 7am and 9am in September increases drastically compared to August, as motorists are 33 per cent more likely to claim at 7am, 47 per cent more likely at 8am and 37 per cent more likely at 9am.
Furthermore, research by AXA Insurance reveals that one in four parents were involved in a car accident whilst taking their children to school during the last academic year.
Nine per cent claimed that they had been in a somewhat major accident, whilst another eight per cent said their accident was ‘severe’. Eighteen per cent also said that whilst they had not been involved in an accident, they had been involved in at least one near miss.
Driving during rush hour can often be stressful, with 39 per cent of parents saying that other drivers rushing makes them feel like them and their children are in danger. Rushing seems to be the main cause of issues during the school run, with 46 per cent of parents saying they often spend mornings clock-watching in order to get their children to school on time.
Some respondents to the survey have their own ways of making the school run easier, including:
Prep the night before:
Do as much as you can the night before when the children are all in bed. Things take a fraction of the time when there aren’t kids distracting you: you’re less likely to forget something and you’ll be less rushed in the morning. All this massively reduces stress.
Get moving:
“Set off earlier and walk if you can!”
Have some fun:
“Make sure you wake everyone up early enough so they have enough time to get ready. Try to make it fun by using countdowns or timers and being encouraging.”
Read the full survey report here
