DRIVERS FROM DONEGAL are most likely to pull in and help a stranded motorist, new research said tody.
Drivers from Kildare and Meath are least likely to stop and help however.
The new survey by AA Ireland found that 61 per cent of drivers in Donegal said they would intervene if they saw someone who needed assistance compared to 40 per cent in Kildare and 43.2 per cent in Meath.
The survey asked 12,300 drivers whether they’d stop to help someone who visibly needed help or simply keep driving.
Drivers were asked what they would do in the situation, rather than whether they have ever actually stopped to help in the past.
There was a clear gender divide in whether people would stop to help. 55 per cent of men said they would stop and help a female motorist while just 4 per cent of women said they would do the same for a lone male driver.
Some male respondents to the poll said that they wouldn’t be comfortable helping a lone female without someone else present for that they could be perceived as a threat.
Just under 60 per cent of respondents said they would stop to help a stranded driver who had young children in their car. The figure was higher for men than for women with 67 per cent of male drivers saying the would stop.
Sixty per cent of drivers say they would stop to help an elderly motorist whose vehicle had broken down, rising to 71 per cent among the poll’s male participants.
The poll also identified an element of camaraderie among motorcyclists, with respondents stating they would always stop to assist a fellow biker.
12,300 drivers were polled by AA Rescue for the survey.
