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Drivers: Less time on the road?

Internet shopping, rising fuel prices, arduous traffic... There are a lot of factors that will keep you from using your ride on a regular basis. According to researchers, car trips on the decline despite the recovering automotive industry.

On average, according to data compiled in 2010 as part of the British Department for Transport’s National Travel Survey, drivers make 960 trips a year compared with 1086 in 1997, a dramatic fall of 12% in 13 years.

According to the British Department for Transport’s National Travel Survey in 2010, drivers made 960 trips a year compared with 1086 in 1997, a dramatic fall of 12% in 13 years.

NOT VISITING YOUR MATES?

In the UK, the number of cars per household has increased from 13% in 1985 to 75% in 2010. The average number of trips made per year has fallen to its lowest level since the 1970s, reports, DailyMail.

With the advent of internet shopping many drivers no longer needed to make frequent trips to purchase items. This coupled with the rising petrol price, currently at R1130 (Gauteng) and R10.95 (Cape Town), means drivers will want to save more on their monthly fuel bills and not drive unnecessarily.

Luke Bosdet, a spokesperson for the AA, said: "It’s a devastating indictment of the effect of high fuel prices on family budgets. The thing that now stands out is that the wholesale prices of fuel have been falling but the trade hasn’t been passing on those drops as quickly as they could.

In the UK there are over 37 million registered drivers but despite British drivers spending less time behind the wheel the average trip has increased from 20.4 minutes to 22.9. According to the UK survey, between the mid-1990s and 2010, drivers made fewer shopping trips (19%) and visiting friends also declined by 22%, reports DailyMail.

Are you making fewer trips in your car? If so tell us what your reason are below in our comments section.

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