Taxi of Mum and Dad makes average of 177 trips per year for young adults, covering over 1,250 miles
Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace, spoke to 2,000 parents of children aged 18 and over, to uncover how often they’re providing transportation and the impact it has on their day to day lives.
Over half (53%) of the parents surveyed said they provide transportation for their adult children, with 13% being asked on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, less than half (46%) said they had asked their own parents for transportation help when they were younger.
The study revealed that parents are providing transportation an average of 3.4 times per week, which works out at 177 trips per year. However, for some the number is even higher, with 1 in 10 parents making 6 or more journeys per week – a whopping 312 per year!
The average weekly mileage for parents transporting their adult children was 24.1, while 1 in 10 said they travel over 50 miles per week - or 2,600 miles per year.
When asked why their children were reliant on them for transport, cost came out as a major factor. 41% of those surveyed said the cost of owning and maintaining a car was a key reason their child didn’t have a licence.
As well as not having a driving licence, the inconvenience of public transport was listed as a major reason adult children were asking their parents for transportation, with over a quarter (28%) of respondents mentioning this.
For parents, all these extra journeys can come with their own frustrations. Dealing with traffic came out as the biggest annoyance, with nearly a quarter (22%) of respondents citing this, followed by having to stay up later than normal to collect children from social events (19%) and increased fuel costs (16%).
Around a quarter of parents (26%) said they have had to change or cancel their own plans due to transporting their children. However, despite all this, parents don’t seem to mind. 80% of those surveyed said providing regular transportation to their children has little to no impact on their daily life. Many even enjoy the extra time spent together, with meaningful conversations (27%) and getting to hear about their children’s day (26%) listed as the things they enjoy most about these journeys.
According to our research, the taxi of Mum and Dad remains a permanent fixture on UK roads, and doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon, especially as the cost of driving lessons remain elevated for some. But despite this and parents clocking up some impressive mileage, it’s great to hear that they don’t mind providing transportation help, enjoying the extra time spent with their children.
For those who don’t want to rely on their parents for transportation, Auto Trader have shared some ways you can save money as a new driver.
4 Tips for Saving Money as a New Driver
For more information about the benefits of car leasing and to explore the latest deals, visit https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/leasing
Notes to Editor
Survey carried out by OnePoll, with data collected between 10th and 20th January 2025. Survey respondents were made up of 2,000 UK adults, with children aged 18 and over.
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