Parents of sporty children spend an average of £1,216 a year on petrol ferrying their youngsters to training sessions and matches, clocking up some 1,716 miles. Research involving 2,000 mums and dads who transport their child to sporting activities revealed they dedicate an average of three hours, 22 minutes each week driving them to practice.
Football tops the list of activities
Football emerged as the most popular sport these parents chauffeur their children to, with 61% saying they regularly ferry them to training sessions and matches, followed by swimming (40%), and dance (18%). Three quarters admitted they have had to miss out on something important to them, such as a social event, birthday or work commitment, to prioritise their children's sporting endeavours.
Farrell Hsu, managing director for Chery UK, the car company which commissioned the research, said: "Grassroot sport plays a hugely important role in young people's lives.
"These findings show just how much dedication is required from parents behind the scenes, with parents logging an average of more than 1,700 miles a year behind the wheel to enable their children to take part.
"Football is by far the most popular activity these parents are driving to, and as the official automotive partner of AFC Bournemouth, we see just how sports bring families and local communities together."
Bonding time and benefits for children
"While managing work, personal commitments and travel costs is a constant balancing act, these car journeys have been shown to provide important bonding time for parents and their children, from early morning training sessions to weekend matches."
The study found the main challenges parents faced with driving were traffic jams (28%), fuel and travel expenses (26%) and fitting it around work commitments (21%). Nevertheless, for most it's a job worth doing, with 91% agreeing their child taking part in grassroots sport has positively affected them beyond just their physical health.
Confidence (66%), teamwork (63%) and social skills (56%) were the attributes most had witnessed develop in their children through playing sports. For 72% of parents, the time spent ferrying their children to training or matches has enhanced their relationship, and the majority will feel nostalgic when their children outgrow it.
What could make journeys easier
The main improvements which could make travelling to sporting events easier would be reduced fuel or charging costs (41%), improved parking facilities (38%) and more local training and competition venues (24%). Meanwhile, the most valuable vehicle characteristics and features for sporting duties are excellent fuel economy (40%), easy-to-clean seats and surfaces (31%), comfortable seating (30%), and ample boot space (28%).
Chery spokesperson, Farrell Hsu, added: "With parents spending an average of more than £1,200 a year on fuel, and more than three hours a week sitting behind the wheel, running costs and travel time will inevitably take a real toll on busy families.
"What stands out in the data is how local this driving is. For most parents, a full week of training runs and weekend fixtures comes in under 50 miles.
"Our Super Hybrid models offer between 56 and 91 miles of pure electric range depending on the vehicle, so for many families that whole week could be covered on electric power alone.
"For anyone able to charge at home, that has the potential to take a real bite out of the annual fuel bill."
