Hyundai Canada study reveals the biggest safety woes amongst Canadian parents when it comes to driving

• One in five parents agree that driving with children in the vehicle stresses them out
• 80 per cent of parents are concerned about the distracted driving behaviour of other drivers
• ‘Safety features’ uncovered as most important selling factor to consider before purchasing a new vehicle
• Canadian Dad and TV personality, Scott McGillivray shares his safety woes while driving; his number one concern is to keep his family safe, noting that his biggest frustration when driving are careless drivers and weather conditions that make the roads more dangerous

Does it grind your gears when your kids fiddle with the door handles while you’re driving? Rev your engine when your kids joke about throwing something out the window?  Let’s get real, you are not alone.  Everyone can relate to the stress that comes with keeping your family safe both on and off the road.

According to a new study commissioned by Hyundai Auto Canada Corp (Hyundai Canada) and executed by Ipsos, when it comes to driving, safety concerns remain high amongst Canadians, with the vast majority of parents- 84 per cent- revealing that they are more concerned with vehicle safety now than before they had children.

Hyundai Canada spoke to parents across the country as well as super-Dad and well-known TV personality Scott McGillivray to uncover the biggest safety woes when it comes to driving.  The conversations revealed just what kind of safety parents are looking for when it comes to their family vehicle and the biggest concerns they have when driving with their kids.

The study, the latest from Hyundai Canada, found Canadian parents are most concerned with the following:

• At 80 per cent, the vast majority of parents are concerned about the distracted driving behaviour of other drivers;
• Parents went on to express that highways are the location they feel the greatest concern while driving with almost half (41%) extremely or very concerned, followed closely by streets with bike lanes (37%) and school parking lots (35%);
• Fear of an accident/crash is the greatest concern of parents while driving with children in the vehicle (54%), followed by bad/distracted drivers (21%) or themselves becoming distracted (12%);
• Interestingly, while concern for safety is heightened with children in the vehicle, texting and driving is still an occurrence.Despite the laws in place, half of parents admit to using a cell phone while driving (talking or texting with a handheld device) and a majority of parents report using a cell phone while stopped at a traffic light (61%);
• Nearly half of all parents are somewhat concerned with their child opening doors while the vehicle is in motion (45%).

“As a Dad to two young girls, I can relate to the every-day stresses of keeping your kids safe, that stress and worry is multiplied as soon as you get in to a car” said Scott McGillivray, TV personality and Dad. “I need a car that will keep my family safe and the new 2019 Santa Fe has that important detail in mind. With the advancements that Hyundai has made with its latest safety technology, it gives parents peace of mind when their family is in the car.”

In terms of what they’re looking for in a vehicle, safety is of prime importance to parents (38% rank it the most important factor they consider; followed by cost, 25% and fuel efficiency 13%) and an SUV is considered the ideal type of vehicle for a majority (58%).  Hyundai understands these needs, offering one of the most comprehensive safety packages in the SUV category – with the new 2019 Santa Fe, which was named the 2019 IIHS Top Safety Pick+.

“Vehicle and safe driving worries are something that most parents can relate to,” said Lawrence Hamilton, Director of Marketing, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. “Parents feeling confident in their vehicle is crucial. At Hyundai Canada, we place a high value on safety both inside and outside of the vehicle and continue to encourage Canadians to take safety seriously.  By starting this conversation we want to alleviate some of the car-related stress and equip parents with knowledge on the new safety tech that is out there.”

Hyundai prioritizes and responds to consumers’ strong desire for car safety; this undertaking is at the forefront of the all-new 2019 Santa Fe which offers one of the most comprehensive safety feature packages in its category. The new generation Santa Fe represents Hyundai’s ongoing commitment to delivering vehicles that provide world-class innovation and design.  The 2019 Santa Fe includes the latest Hyundai SmartSense™ active safety and driving assistance features.

This includes:

• Safe Exit Assist: This world-first Hyundai technology is a feature that can help prevent accidents by temporarily locking the rear doors when detecting vehicles approaching from behind; rear passengers will only be able to exit when it is safe to do so.
• Rear Occupant Alert: Using ultrasonic sensors, this system monitors the rear seats for movement when the driver is exiting the vehicle, or even when the vehicle is parked and locked.
• Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist: The vehicle will not only detect a vehicle in the driver’s blind spot, but also help avoid a collision by gently applying brake power on the opposite tire to deter an unsafe lane change.
• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection: Detects a vehicle or pedestrian and warns the driver of a potential frontal collision. If the driver does not react to avoid impact, the system will apply emergency braking.
• Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist: Reversing out of areas with low visibility is made easier with this system that not only warns of approaching vehicles from the side, but can also apply the brakes automatically if no action is taken.
• Lane Keeping Assist: Drift outside your lane without signalling and this system may apply corrective steering to help you keep your vehicle in its lane.

The study also found that nearly half of parents are concerned with a child opening the doors when the vehicle is stopped and before someone can assist them (49% extremely/very/ somewhat concerned).  Going on to note that, when driving, the most common reason to exit the vehicle quickly during a typical trip was bathroom breaks (28%), followed by an accident or car troubles (17%) and car sickness (10%).  The 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe’s Safe Exit Assist plays a key role in these instances ensuring that rear passengers are exiting the vehicle safely.