With lockdown now starting to ease and the world slowly but surely adapting to the ‘new normal’ where we must learn to live side-by-side with COVID-19, many of us are beginning to realise what kind of an impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on our driving habits.
With people being urged to avoid public transport wherever possible to prevent the spread of the virus, more people than ever before are going to be commuting to work. Indeed, research conducted by Compare The Market estimated that there will be at least an extra 10 million cars on the road in the next few months.
But what is this going to mean on a wider scale?
Insurance
Drivers who didn’t previously use their car to commute to work could need to change their insurance policies, which might result in a pretty significant premium increase. We all know that insurance premiums for cars have fallen in recent years, so for them to suddenly jump back up again could come as a bit of a shock.
It’s an unfortunate by-product of an increased number of cars on the road and it’s one all drivers are unfortunately going to have to learn to live with. If you’re worried about how recent trends could impact your insurance premiums, places such as ALA can help you figure out the best strategy.
Refresher courses
It’s only natural that you’d feel a little uneasy about getting back on the road having spent months in isolation. Research conducted by Carwow found that 15% of individuals who have been self-isolating for the last few months and haven’t been using their cars are considering taking driving refresher courses to help them regain their confidence behind the wheel.
This is no bad thing, as with more cars on the road, there are going to be a greater potential for accidents and it’s not only going to be you that has reservations about your own performance. Taking a little driving refresher course could be just what the doctor ordered.
Going electric
The one positive effect of coronavirus has been its impact on the environment. As so many of us have been stuck at home, this has had a knock-on effect on our carbon footprints, giving mother earth a little breathing room and a chance to heal her wounds.
Going forward, many of us might feel the need to continue this green trend and perhaps migrate over to hybrid or fully electric vehicles. It’s certainly never been easier to go electric, with more affordable models that can travel longer distances on a single charge hitting the market every month. Not only that but as it’s possible to charge your electric car at home, it means you can fuel your car without having to visit a petrol station, where you might accidentally expose yourself to the virus.