'Good Samaritans' face extinction

Over four fifths (83%) of female drivers do not want help or assistance even when stranded at night. More than three fifths (61%) would never stop to assist a fellow motorist.

Just under half (47%) of male motorists would prefer to remain stranded, alone in their vehicle at night, than come face-to-face with a stranger offering assistance.

More than six out of 10 women drivers (61%) say they would never stop to assist another motorist who had broken down at night. The top reasons given by those refusing to stop were being fearful of approaching a stranger, and worries about personal safety.

Regional variations

Experienced motorists are the most likely to stop and offer assistance -- nearly half (49%) of all drivers aged 65 and over say they would stop at night to offer help to a another motorist who had broken down, compared to just over a third (38%) of drivers aged between 17 and 24.

Drivers in Wales & the West, the West Country, the North East and Scotland emerge as Britain's leading "Good Samaritans", with half saying they would be prepared to stop for another motorist at night. By contrast, drivers in the North West, London, Midlands and the South are the most reluctant to offer assistance, with just four in ten saying they would be prepared to stop and offer help at night.

Q If you saw someone that had broken down at night, would you stop to help?

Younger drivers are the most likely to welcome assistance from another motorist if they break down themselves. One in three (33%) of those aged between 17 and 24 say they would want a stranger to stop compared to just 25% of those aged between 35 and 54.

Drivers in the Midlands are least likely to welcome the assistance of a "Good Samaritan" with just 22% saying they would want a stranger to stop in the event of a breakdown. By contrast 35% of drivers in the North East say they would wish a fellow motorist to stop if they found themselves stranded after a break down.

Q If you were driving alone at night and you broke down, would you want a stranger to stop?

When it comes to previous driving experience, motorists in the South West of England are most likely to have stopped to assist a fellow driver (61%). Those in Southern England are least likely to have ever stopped, with just 41% saying they had gone to the aid of another motorist who had broken down.

Technical details

The research was conducted by MORI on behalf of Direct Line Rescue between June and July 2002. 2000 interviews were conducted across Great Britain among adults aged 17 and over who are holders of a driving licence and have driven at least once in the last month.