Schools are back, roads are busier and getting ready and out to school on time is top priority for most households. A survey by motoring solutions specialists, easytrip has revealed that 55 per cent of respondents take from 15 to 45 minutes to get ready in the morning while 44 per cent confirmed that it can take 50 minutes or more.
In the rush to get out the door, respondents to the easytrip survey revealed that not all journeys go according to plan:
· Almost 40 per cent of respondents said homework is forgotten usually at least once every couple of weeks
· 29 per cent of parents admitted to skipping breakfast to get kids to school on time
· One in ten have said they have forgotten to feed a pet when running out the door
· 13 per cent have sent kids off to school with their uniform inside out at least once in the past
· 11 per cent of respondents admitted to forgetting a child’s lunch on a daily basis with one third admitting to doing so at least once a month.
In-car journey
The car journey to school can be an eventful one with the survey revealing the regular goings-on that take place in the back seat on the way to school in the morning:
· 63 per cent of children on school run argue with their siblings every day in the car
· 25 per cent finish getting dressed (putting on ties, shoes, socks) at least once a week
· 13 per cent fix their hair every day during the journey
· 11 per cent finish home work on a daily basis during the trip to school
Mode of Transport
The easytrip survey found that 78 per cent of families use the car as the main means of transport to get their children to school. This figure is 14 per cent down on stats released this time last year where easytrip saw that 92 per cent drove their children to school.
The majority (56 per cent) of respondents travel 5km or less from home to the school gates each day. However one in ten travel over 16km from home to school. Two thirds of families take less than 15 minutes to complete the school run while 22 per cent cite that the journey time can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour.
“Our survey has revealed that getting back into the school routine can be a bit of a challenge and in particular in getting ready and to school on time. It can be a rush and quite stressful for many. Our advice to busy dads and mums would be to make it as hassle free as possible and organise as much as you can the night before – set the table for breakfast, pack the schoolbag and lunch and layout the clothes. When driving stay focused on the road and try to avoid getting involved with any back seat antics” says Colin Delaney, General Manager, easytrip.
Daily commuters
One third of parents said they would welcome the introduction of more school buses. This is in stark contrast to those commuting to work but not on the school run, of whom 66 per cent said they would highly welcome this initiative. Of those work commuters, 55 per cent are using the car and 30 per cent on public transport to get to and from work with one in ten of those surveyed opting to cycle to work. 56 per cent of commuters said it takes 15 to 30 minutes longer to get to work in the morning, now that schools are back with almost 20 per cent stating their journey time has increased by up to 45 minutes.
