Victorians planning road trips in their droves

It might come as no surprise given that, until recently, Melburnians were locked down for more than three months, but according to a new survey 71 per cent of Victorians are planning a road trip in the next three to six months – a higher proportion than in any other state.

The figure is even higher nationally, with a huge 82 per cent of Australians apparently doing the same as COVID-19 restrictions ease and domestic travel booms this summer – and yet the same study found they’re willfully ignoring basic car safety checks.

Research commissioned by mycar Tyre & Auto, which was rebranded from Kmart Auto, found that 61 per cent of Australians are also ignoring basic pre-roadtrip inspections even when they know something is wrong with their vehicle.

Instead, the study by Pure Profile, which surveyed a sample of more than 1000 Australians on behalf of mycar Tyre & Auto, found that most Aussies will prioritise filling up on fuel, stocking up with snacks and deciding seating arrangements and who is driving before carrying out a basic routine car safety check.

Just as worryingly, the research also found that of the millions planning on hitting the road soon, many don’t know how to perform basic car maintenance.

While 26 per cent claimed to know about cars, more than a quarter said they didn’t know how to change a tyre (38%) or check the battery (41%), oil (26%), water (23%) or tyre tread (24%).

And with millions of Australians planning on hitting the road, boredom looms as another problem for road trippers. Nearly half (44%) said they found a long road trip more boring than self-isolation.

Road trips with children was deemed the most stressful holidaying experience, with almost one in five of those surveyed saying they’d prefer to travel without them.

According to the research, the most annoying parts of road trips for Aussies are people who control the music and sing along (41%), constant questioning ‘are we there yet?’ (33%), car sickness (32%) and roadside bathroom breaks (27%).

Furthermore, 15 per cent get frustrated with other people in the car (with 33% travelling with three or more people), 13 per cent dish out road rage towards other drivers, 51 per cent say that getting on the road faster is more of a priority than ensuring their car is road safe, and 10 per cent don’t want to pay for additional work on their car.

Nearly half (44%) said they find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself and 70 per cent said they become agitated if there is no entertainment.

To help combat the bugbears, boredom and lack of vehicle preparedness, mycar Tyre & Auto this week announced a free Road Trip Ready inspection at any of its 265-plus stores across Australia, and a series of free audio guides for road trips.

Available to download here, the individual audio guides for friends and families are presented by Logie-winner and game show personality Grant Denyer, and his wife Chezzi.

“We’ve both travelled the length of Australia as a couple and more recently with our two girls, which is why we know too well the stresses of road trips. Our audio guides will take you on a journey of our own driving experiences, from the messy to the comical,” said Denyer.

Chezzi added: “Reflecting on our own driving experiences made us realise just how stressful and unpredictable road trips can be. mycar’s Road Trip Ready inspection and audio guides will hopefully take some of the guesswork out of your next trip with added peace of mind and some light-hearted relief.”

Apart from cleaning your windscreen and topping up your washer fluid, mycar’s free Road Trip Ready inspection includes a check of your oil level, coolant level, wipers, lights (exterior and interior), tyre condition and pressures (including spare), and jack and wheel brace.

The key findings of the study, which surveyed 271 Victorians, are:

NATIONAL
82% are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
37% are planning a road trip when border restrictions ease
24% are currently planning a road trip
15% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
51% of South Australians are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
68% are ignoring basic pre-road trip inspections and just assume everything is fine with their car
46% find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself
15% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown

WEST AUSTRALIA
45% of Western Australians are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
73% are ignoring basic pre-road trip inspections and just assume everything is fine with their car
52% find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself
13% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown

NSW
60% of NSW drivers are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
1 in 10 NSW drivers are ignoring basic pre-road trip inspections and just assume everything is fine with their car
43% find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself
18% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown

QUEENSLAND
45% of Queenslanders are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
30% will pull in to a mechanic for a quick check up when they notice a problem with their car
51% find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself
16% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown

VICTORIA
71% of Victorians are planning a road trip in the next 3-6 months
25% will pull in to a mechanic for a quick check up when they notice a problem with their car
37% find a long road trip without entertainment more boring than COVID isolation itself
12% find a long drive with children/family worse than COVID lockdown