Of course, different cultures have different relationships with cars, but according to a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Valvoline.com, the average daily American commutes approximately 35 minutes. The figure might seem inconsequential, but it adds up to about 152 hours — or 19 full workdays — a year, just for getting to and back from work in their cars.
Given how much time they spend in their cars, it should come as no surprise that 68 percent of Americans said their whole day could be ruined by a bad commute.
And only a lucky few have the privilege to do it on their terms. In fact, less than 1 in 10 Americans say they don’t encounter any traffic on their typical daily commute.
63 percent of Americans said that commuting time was a major part of their job decision, and for many, work starts the moment they enter the car, not when they clock in.
With time, however, people learn how to adapt to it. About one-third of commuters use their drive to visualize their workday and make to-do lists in their head.
28 percent of commuters make phone calls on their drive, and more than 1 in 10 improve themselves in other ways, like learning a language with audio.
And these things add up. While the survey found that a stressful commute can ruin your whole day, 71 percent of Americans find their commute peaceful and even relaxing.
Commuting falls into a category carmakers call "severe driving," and that’s not because of driving style but rather the types of trips you’re making.
Heavy stop-and-go traffic, short journeys, frequent idling, and sustained highway travel in cold or hot temperatures can result in more wear and tear on the engine. So it’s important to keep up with regularly scheduled maintenance and use proper, quality products for your vehicle to help prevent costly and inconvenient breakdowns.
The survey also asked drivers what they believe to be the worst nightmares you can experience on your commute, and the top five were:
- Flat tire — 38 percent;
- Engine overheating — 25 percent;
- Wiper malfunction — 22 percent;
- Running out of gas — 21 percent;
- Transmission issues — 19 percent.
When it comes to confidence, it seems that experience is the key. A new survey of 2,000 American drivers, split evenly with 500 per generation, discovered that only 30% of Gen Z believe their generation drives more safely than others.
That’s a sharp contrast to the faith other age groups have in themselves. 43% of Millennials, 60% of Gen X, and 63% of Baby Boomers place themselves above the rest when asked the same question.
