As More Americans Plan to Hit the Road this Winter, Safety Remains Top-of-Mind, According to New Data from Cobra Electronics

Nationwide survey of 2,000 Americans points to increased winter driving anxiety and more road trips as more than one-third of Americans plan on spending the holidays away from home this year

CHICAGO, Dec. 19, 2022 -- Cobra Electronics, the leading designer of award-winning automotive, mobile and consumer electronics including dash cams, radar detectors, CB radios and more, today released a nationwide study of American driving habits that have emerged for this upcoming winter. Coming off a hot summer filled with road trips, skyrocketing gas prices and heightened post-pandemic driving anxiety, findings point to a new type of worry this season – with winter proving to bring an increased desire for safety precautions amongst harsher and unpredictable conditions. That said, Americans still plan on making the road trip away from home this holiday season.

"As we enter the holiday season, road travel increases while there is a greater potential for wintery driving conditions. It is important for drivers to be prepared for the many scenarios that come along with the changing weather and volume of traffic," said Gail Babitt, CEO of Cedar Electronics (parent company of Cobra Electronics). "Whether it's a dash cam for that second pair of eyes on the road, a jump starter for those dreaded 'dead battery' moments or a radar detector to help alert them to potential issues, drivers need to equip themselves with the means to stay safe on the road this winter season."

A nationwide survey of 2,000 Americans conducted by OnePoll in October 2022 uncovered some interesting findings when it comes to winter driving habits, such as:

• More than one-third of Americans will be driving to spend the holidays away from home this year: With only 19% claiming high gas prices will deter long road trips this season, findings point to the average person being willing to drive 116 miles, or three and a half hours, to their holiday destination.
• Despite an increase in travel, drivers are still trying to avoid the roads this winter due to safety concerns: Seven out of 10 respondents claimed they try to avoid driving in winter, while nearly two-thirds of people claim to be concerned about other drivers on the road. Similarly, 84% claim they are most afraid of driving in winter than any other season – especially those located in the Midwest (92%).
• Most drivers would like to have an extra pair of eyes on the road: Two in three drivers claimed they feel safer when someone is in the car so they can have an extra pair of eyes on the road (87%). When that's not possible, respondents claim equipment like strong-grip tires (67%), jump starters (56%) and dash cams (23%) helps increase confidence for those 'just in case' situations.
• More Americans are getting their car checked out: Before heading out on a long trip in the winter, 82% of drivers claimed they'll get their car checked out, with only one in seven admitting they're not confident that their vehicle wouldn't have any complications. Drivers also said they'd prioritize checking their tire pressure (83%), oil level (73%) and even change out the oil (66%).

The findings of Cobra Electronics' full study can be found here. Cobra's full lineup of driver safety tools including dash cams, CB radios, walkie talkies, radar detectors and more can be found here.

Cobra Electronics is a major brand of Cedar Electronics, a global supplier of connected automotive and consumer electronics solutions. Cobra's award-winning product line-up for driving safety includes connected radar detectors, smart dash cams, power solutions, walkie talkies, CB and marine radios, and accessories. Its connected driver community and sensor-based network unlocks over 50 million vehicle-to-vehicle and shared alerts annually from speed traps to red light camera locations. Leveraging its 50-year history of producing high-quality, reliable, and dependable solutions, Cobra extends the Cedar Electronics mission to empower people to Drive Smarter and Safer. To learn more please visit www.cobra.com.