More Dads Driving The Family Carpool

DETROIT (WWJ) - More fathers are helping with family carpool duties, according to a new survey commissioned by Chevrolet.

Seven in 10 fathers in the online Harris Interactive survey say they drive kids to school, daycare or extracurricular activities. But Mark Clawson of Chevrolet said dads shy away from the mini-van.

"The crossover segment has really evolved to be the vehicle of choice amongst fathers when it comes to balancing child- and children-raising activities along with their own interests and their own lifestyle," he said.

Utility vehicles such as crossovers and SUVs were the most preferred vehicles among fathers for accomplishing all their work week, weekend and family activities. Less than one-quarter of the dads surveyed indicated that they prefer a minivan.

Clawson said dual income households are part of the reason more dads are driving kids around.

"The mothers are working mothers, and so to balance that parenting requirement, it requires both parents to be involved," he said.

According to the study, more than half of all dads chose safety as a top vehicle feature, followed by fuel efficiency. Survey results also demonstrated that fathers gave their current family vehicle a 6.4 "cool" rating on a 10-point scale.