The potential for arguments and tantrums makes more than half of parents feel reluctant to undertake a road-trip with their children.
Some 55 percent of respondents to a survey by Vauxhall said they would be apprehensive about undertaking a long drive with their family.
In addition, close to half (47 percent) said the idea of a car journey with their children would be more stressful than holidaying abroad.
Notably, the predictable question of ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ is asked just three times before parents find themselves feeling annoyed.
Road-trip hunger games
When it came to creating the biggest whinges, Vauxhall found that children being hungry was top of the list. More than a third (34 percent) of respondents said this would be the first grievance aired.
Meanwhile, 14 percent of those surveyed said their offspring would lose all composure if they went through an area without any phone signal.
Vauxhall’s study also found that getting bored (50 percent), sibling arguments (37 percent) and keeping kids entertained (35 percent) provided the biggest challenges on a long drive.
Nearly three quarters (71 percent) of parents prepare snacks and drinks to prevent hunger-related challenges before they arise. Some 45 percent highlighted music streaming via smartphone connectivity as helpful for keeping kids amused.
Making car journeys family-friendly
Vauxhall’s research study also found that more than half (52 percent) of parents have threatened to turn the car around because their children weren’t behaving. And a third (34 percent) have followed up on that age-old threat, too.
Steve Catlin, managing director at Vauxhall, said: “Road-trips are a great opportunity to connect as a family, but when the conditions aren’t perfect, it can cause tensions to boil over. As parents, we all know that making sure you have the right snacks, space and road-trip playlist can go a long way to ensuring a harmonious journey.
“Equally important is having a car that can help make the journey easier. The new Vauxhall Frontera is designed to be family-friendly, with a spacious interior, the right tech to keep everyone connected, and features such as the Intelli-Seat to help long journeys pass in comfort.”
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