@GM: Back-to-School Survey Finds Parents Concerned about Their Teen Drivers

DETROIT – As families prepare for their return to in-person school after a year of virtual learning, 68 percent of parents indicate being back on the road every day is a concern when thinking about their children going back to school.

With the back-to-school season in full swing, Chevrolet worked with The Harris Poll to survey more than 1,000 parents of school-aged children to discover how the pandemic affected their driving skills and the new realities that teen drivers face.

The pandemic impacted how often people were on the road, with 56 percent of parents saying they drove less during the pandemic. Over time, basic driving skills can be forgotten, which may lead to careless driving. According to the survey:

• 61 percent of parents agree that with fewer people on the road last year, they were able to drive more carefree.
• Now, over three-quarters of parents surveyed report that they drive more defensively with more people on the road.

Teen drivers were impacted by a different complication during the pandemic. Nearly half of parents with a driving-aged child say their child experienced a delay in becoming a licensed driver during the pandemic. And, as more teen drivers prepare to be on the road this school year, the survey shows most teens and new drivers will be in the vehicle without adult supervision. The survey also showed:

• 61 percent of parents are concerned about their teen on the road because of lost practice time due to the pandemic.
• 78 percent of parents worry when their child is on the road because other drivers seem more unsafe than before the pandemic. 
• 73 percent of parents report to notice more aggravated drivers on the road than before the pandemic.

“With so much on our minds as we prepare for this school year, it’s easy for both parents and teens to forget basic driving skills and road safety,” said Tricia Morrow, Chevrolet safety engineer. “Safety is at the forefront of what we do at Chevrolet, and the safety features available in many of our Chevrolet products, including the Traverse, help bring families peace of mind as drivers – both experienced and new – hit the road.”

The 2022 Chevrolet Traverse features multiple active safety and driver assistance features, supporting driver safety. The survey found that 79 percent of parents agree that in-vehicle technology helps give them peace of mind.

Active safety, driver assistance and other features on the 2022 Traverse include:

• Chevy Safety Assist¹, standard on all trims includes Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Following Distance Indicator, Forward Collision Alert and IntelliBeam automatic high beam control.
• Teen Driver, a technology that, when active, helps parents coach their new drivers – even when the teens are alone in the vehicle. It allows parents to set a speed alert, a volume limit and more. And, with the industry’s first and only in-vehicle report card, it’s easy to track a teen’s driving performance.
• Buckle To Drive, a safety technology that, when active, can prevent the driver from shifting the vehicle out of park if the driver’s seat belt is not buckled for up to 20 seconds. This feature is designed to help remind all drivers to buckle up before driving.
• Stay connected to teen drivers with new Wireless Apple CarPlay² and Android Auto³ phone projection capability. Additionally, when activated, OnStar Automatic Crash Response⁴ can connect drivers to an Emergency-Certified Advisor⁵ who can contact help even if they can’t ask for it.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY
This survey was conducted online by The Harris Poll July 28 – Aug. 4, 2021, on behalf of Chevrolet, among 1,204 adults who are 18 years+ of age and who have a child age 3 to 18 years old that will attend school outside of the home this coming school year. Data were weighted to be representative of the ages 18+ U.S. general population.

ABOUT CHEVROLET
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

¹Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Read the owner’s manual for important feature limitations and information.
²Vehicle user interface is a product of Apple and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires compatible iPhone and data plan rates apply. Apple CarPlay is a trademark of Apple Inc. Siri, iPhone and Apple Music are trademarks for Apple Inc, registered in the U.S. and other countries.
³Vehicle user interface is a product of GoogleTM and its terms and privacy statements apply. Requires the Android Auto app on Google Play and a compatible AndroidTM smartphone. Data plan rates apply. You can check which smartphones are compatible at g.co/androidauto/requirements. Android Auto is a trademark of Google LLC.
⁴OnStar plan, working electrical system, cell reception and GPS signal required. OnStar links to emergency services. Not all vehicles may transmit all crash data. See onstar.com for details and limitations.
⁵Certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.

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