Thursday, July 16, 2020

Survey: Americans Spending More Time In Their Cars, For Sanity

More Americans are spending time in their cars--not to drive, but for sanity--according to Santa Monica-based subscription vehicle service Fair. According to the company, it ran a survey which found that nearly 3 out of 4 people have been turning to their cars for mental health breaks during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company said it found that of those surveyed, 30% said they used their car to take a mini-break by driving around their neighborhood, with another 24% reported taking a long drive to clear their head. People apparently also don't actually need to drive anywhere--the company said its survey also found 16% of those it asked have sat in their car outside their house listening to music or audiobooks. Fair also pointed out a clear side effect of the pandemic; the company's co-founder and President, Georg Bauer, said in a statement that "COVID-19 has made public transportation a non-starter for most Americans". Fair offers up pre-owned cars on a subscription basis. The company did not say how this pandemic has affected its own business, as people are driving a lot less miles for both work and personal reasons, as they are sticking closer to home.