Driving home for Christmas
Almost 10% of males drive to avoid staying with in-laws
24 December 2008
Almost one third (29%) of drivers would drive up to 100 miles to avoid staying with family and friends over Christmas according to an AA Populus poll of 7,388 members. Almost ten per cent of males (9%) specifically said that they would drive in order to avoid an overnight stay with their in-laws.
11% of respondents would even drive 100 miles or more to avoid staying with family or friends. Almost twice as many men (12%) would be prepared to drive more than 100 miles rather than stay over compared to women (7%).
However, 45% say they prefer an overnight stay with family and friends rather than drive, even relatively modest distances, at Christmas1.
From this research the AA predicts that during Christmas and New Year 2008, roads look like being fairly quiet because in addition to the overnighters, a further 16% in the survey said they do not drive at all over the holiday season.
The quietest day will be New Year's Day followed by Christmas Day.
Survey results
| Day | Percentage driving more than 20 miles |
Percentage not driving |
| Christmas Eve | 22 | 78 | Christmas Day | 15 | 85 |
| Boxing Day | 24 | 76 |
| New Year's Eve | 16 | 84 |
| New Year's Day | 13 | 87 |
AA comment
AA President Edmund King said: "Some drivers seem determined to drive long distances to avoid staying with families or friends at Christmas. The old 'mother-in-law' joke may have some credence with nine per cent of males. As long as these drivers are not driven to drink this might be a sensible move.
"Almost one quarter of drivers will drive for more than 20 miles on Boxing Day but New Year's Day will be quiet with only 13% saying they will be taking to the roads.
"A good proportion of those saying they would be out on the roads over Christmas and New Year are in the younger age groups. On New Year's Eve the survey found that 18 to 24 year olds are most likely to be on the road (22%) which could pose safety concerns about potential drink / drug driving or distraction caused by a car full of reveller passengers".
Factfile
1AA Populus survey of 7,380 motorists conducted between 21and 28 November 2008.
Variation by age group
(Percentage driving more than 20 miles)
| Day | 18-24 years |
25-34 years |
35-44 years |
45-54 years |
55-64 years |
65+ years |
| Christmas Eve | 26 | 30 | 24 | 22 | 19 | 14 | Christmas Day | 14 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
| Boxing Day | 21 | 32 | 26 | 23 | 21 | 18 |
| New Year's Eve | 22 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| New Year's Day | 12 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 |
24 December 2008