Motorists’ enjoying more day trips closer to home, research reveals

The nation’s motorists are enjoying more day trips closer to home as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, new research by heycar has discovered.  

More than half (53%) of the population say they are driving shorter distances on a day out – with one in four (23%) limiting their journey to between just 10 and 20 miles from home.

One in five (19%) said they were prepared to venture between 21-30 miles, while a further 23% would tackle distances of between 31-50 miles. Only 16% said they would travel up to 100 miles.

Online car marketplace heycar commissioned the research to better understand the impact coronavirus has had on how we use our cars in our free time – and where we now most like to head for.

The survey of 2,000 people also saw The South West of England crowned Britain’s favourite area to visit on a day trip, being the No.1 choice for one in seven (13%) of the population. 

Scotland and the South East took joint second place in the rundown with 10% of the vote each, while the North East came in last with just four per cent describing it as their ideal day trip destination.

The study comes as heycar launches its feel-good day trip finder tool to help the nation uncover the best destinations the country has to offer. The interactive map allows users to search for attractions and places of interest that are perfect to drive to for a day out.

heycar CEO Mat Moakes says: “The day trip is a great British tradition and we’re glad to see it remaining so.

“Given the current circumstances it’s understandable that people are a little more cautious about how far they’re prepared to venture.

“But it’s clear the nation still remains committed to using their cars to explore the delights on their doorstep and further afield.

“And with our interactive feel-good day trip finder we’re thrilled to be able to help day-trippers discover ever-more fun and interesting destinations all around the UK.” 

heycar also investigated who our ideal day trip driving companions are – with our partners emerging as the overwhelming choice of a third of the population (38%). Pets took second place with five per cent, while renowned petrolhead Jeremy Clarkson was third with three per cent.

heycar was launched in August 2019 to raise the bar in the used car industry. With more than 150,000 cars on the site from 3,500 UK dealerships, buyers can browse and find their next car with ease. All cars are under eight years old, have less than 100,000 miles on the clock and all used cars come with a 10 day money back guarantee and a warranty for complete peace of mind.