Fear is stopping us from being good Samaritans.
Just 38.79 per cent of Irish motorists would stop and offer assistance to a driver who has experienced a car breakdown.
That's according to a new poll by AA Rescue.
5,000 motorists were surveyed by the breakdown assistance wing of AA Ireland and less than four in ten said that in the event of encountering a broken down vehicle they would be very likely to offer the driver assistance.
A further 35.59 per cent indicated that they would be somewhat likely to offer assistance but would have some reservations in doing so.
Almost 55 per cent indicated that concerns about their personal safety would be one of the main reasons preventing them from offering assistance to a broken down motorist.
Elderly drivers
However, the survey did find an increased willingness on the behalf of respondents to offer assistance to an elderly driver who had suffered a breakdown.
54.35 per cent stated they would be very likely to stop and offer assistance to an older person.
Put a plan in place
Conor Faughnan, AA Director of Consumer Affairs, said the findings show that motorists need to give some thought to their own breakdown planning:
"Breakdowns are almost an unavoidable part of motoring life as even if you follow all the manufacturer’s servicing guidelines things will unfortunately go wrong. With this in mind it’s important for motorists to consider who they would be able to contact for assistance if they were to have a car issue as there is at least some reluctance on the part of passing motorists to offer help."
"Ultimately, people always have to prioritise their own personal safety and it’s understandable that people would choose to do so, but breakdowns can be a huge cause of stress so even offering the affected motorist use of your phone could be a huge help."
