According to the 2020 PEMCO Insurance NW Poll, a majority (62%) of Northwest employees still feel
pressured to drive into work on days when there is snow or ice on the road, compared to the 66% of
residents who reported the same five years ago. How about you? How much pressure do you feel to come
into work when there’s wintery weather?
When you compare your ability to drive skillfully, do you generally think that you are:
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | All |
| 51 | 53 | 46 | 49 | 51 | A more skillful driver |
| 43 | 41 | 48 | 46 | 44 | About the same as most other drivers |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | A less skillful driver |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Don’t know |
When you compare your ability to drive skillfully, do you generally think that you are:
| Weighted Total | Washington | Oregon | |
|---|
| Males | Females | Males | Females | Males | Females | |
|---|
| 530 | 355 | 305 | 206 | 225 | 148 | All |
| 60 | 38 | 63 | 39 | 53 | 35 | A more skillful driver |
| 36 | 54 | 32 | 53 | 43 | 55 | About the same as most other drivers |
| 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | A less skillful driver |
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | Don’t know |
When you compare your ability to drive skillfully, do you generally think that you are:
Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2019 | Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2014 | |
|---|
| 885 | 1200 | All |
| 51 | 50 | A more skillful driver |
| 43 | 47 | About the same as most other drivers |
| 4 | 2 | A less skillful driver |
| 2 | 1 | Don’t know |
In the winter, when there is snow or ice on the road, how comfortable do you feel driving in
those conditions?
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | All |
| 28 | 31 | 23 | 24 | 21 | Very comfortable |
| 33 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | Somewhat comfortable |
| 23 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 28 | Somewhat uncomfortable |
| 15 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 19 | Very uncomfortable |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Don’t know |
In the winter, when there is snow or ice on the road, how comfortable do you feel driving in
those conditions?
| Weighted Total | Washington | Oregon | |
|---|
| Males | Females | Males | Females | Males | Females | |
|---|
| 530 | 355 | 305 | 206 | 225 | 148 | All |
| 38 | 13 | 41 | 16 | 32 | 7 | Very comfortable |
| 35 | 30 | 35 | 31 | 36 | 29 | Somewhat comfortable |
| 19 | 29 | 17 | 27 | 24 | 33 | Somewhat uncomfortable |
| 7 | 27 | 6 | 26 | 8 | 29 | Very uncomfortable |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Don’t know |
In the winter, when there is snow or ice on the road, how comfortable do you feel driving in
those conditions?
Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2019 | Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2014 | |
|---|
| 885 | 1200 | All |
| 28 | 26 | Very comfortable |
| 33 | 36 | Somewhat comfortable |
| 23 | 23 | Somewhat uncomfortable |
| 15 | 14 | Very uncomfortable |
| 1 | 1 | Don’t know |
How would you compare your ability to drive in the snow or ice? When it’s snowing or there is
snow or ice on the road, do you think that you are a:
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | All |
| 45 | 47 | 40 | 42 | 40 | More skillful driver than most others |
| 38 | 38 | 38 | 40 | 38 | About the same as other drivers |
| 15 | 13 | 19 | 16 | 19 | Less skillful driver than most others |
| 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | Don’t know |
How would you compare your ability to drive in the snow or ice? When it’s snowing or there is
snow or ice on the road, do you think that you are a:
| Weighted Total | Washington | Oregon | |
|---|
| Males | Females | Males | Females | Males | Females | |
|---|
| 530 | 355 | 305 | 206 | 225 | 148 | All |
| 54 | 30 | 56 | 33 | 51 | 25 | More skillful driver than most others |
| 37 | 40 | 37 | 39 | 36 | 41 | About the same as other drivers |
| 8 | 27 | 5 | 25 | 12 | 30 | Less skillful driver than most others |
| 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 4 | Don’t know |
How would you compare your ability to drive in the snow or ice? When it’s snowing or there is
snow or ice on the road, do you think that you are a:
Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2019 | Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2014 | |
|---|
| 885 | 1200 | All |
| 45 | 44 | More skillful driver than most others |
| 38 | 40 | About the same as other drivers |
| 15 | 14 | Less skillful driver than most others |
| 2 | 2 | Don’t know |
On days when it’s snowing or there is snow and ice on the road and you need to get to work or
school, do you prefer to:
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 607 | 349 | 258 | 325 | 300 | Commuters |
| 69 | 70 | 67 | 63 | 61 | Drive yourself |
| 14 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 16 | Take the bus |
| 4 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 9 | Take light rail, a train or the streetcar |
| 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | Carpool |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | Other |
| 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | Don’t know |
On days when it’s snowing or there is snow and ice on the road, how likely are you to feel
pressured by your employer to commute into work, even if you’d rather work from home?
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 292 | 175 | 117 | 289 | 269 | Those who commute to work |
| 18 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 19 | I feel very pressured to commute into work |
| 23 | 21 | 26 | 18 | 20 | I feel somewhat pressured |
| 21 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | I feel there’s a little bit of pressure |
| 29 | 30 | 26 | 34 | 38 | I don’t feel any pressure at all |
| 9 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 4 | Don’t know |
On days when it’s snowing or there is snow and ice on the road, how likely are you to feel
pressured by your employer to commute into work, even if you’d rather work from home?
Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2019 | Northwest Region
Weighted Total
2014 | |
|---|
| 292 | 687 | Those who commute to work |
| 18 | 23 | I feel very pressured to commute into work |
| 23 | 22 | I feel somewhat pressured |
| 21 | 21 | I feel there’s a little bit of pressure |
| 29 | 32 | I don’t feel any pressure at all |
| 9 | 3 | Don’t know |
When there is snow or ice on the road, different cities use different techniques for making
it safer to drive. In your opinion, to make driving safer, is it best for cities to treat
their highways and streets with:
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | Drivers |
| 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | Salt |
| 17 | 14 | 24 | 15 | 16 | Sand |
| 50 | 53 | 45 | 56 | 50 | A combination of salt and sand |
| 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Something else |
| 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Nothing |
| 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 12 | Don’t know |
Overall, what is your opinion about using salt on the roads to make it safer to drive in the
snow and ice?
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | Drivers |
| 23 | 25 | 18 | 23 | 18 | I strongly favor using salt |
| 25 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 30 | I somewhat favor it |
| 25 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 23 | I neither favor nor oppose it |
| 13 | 11 | 16 | 13 | 14 | I somewhat oppose it |
| 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | I strongly oppose it |
| 5 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 5 | Don’t know |
Whether you favor or oppose using salt on the roads to make driving safer, in your view,
which of these statements do you think describe why salt should or shouldn’t be used?
| Weighted Total | Washington (Unwghted) | Oregon (Unwghted) | Seattle Metro | Portland Metro | |
|---|
| 885 | 511 | 373 | 524 | 462 | Drivers |
| 41 | 43 | 38 | 43 | 42 | Salt is the fastest way to melt the snow and ice |
| 34 | 31 | 40 | 34 | 37 | Salt is more harmful to the roads and streets |
| 20 | 18 | 25 | 17 | 24 | Salt is more harmful to vehicles |
| 15 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 17 | When applied in advance, salt does a better job preventing snow
and ice from sticking |
| 17 | 15 | 21 | 14 | 20 | The availability of salt is limited |
| 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | Salt is the least expensive solution |
| 8 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | Salt is more friendly to the environment |
| 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 9 | Salt is easy enough to clean up after the weather event |
| 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | Salt is not friendly enough to the environment |
| 7 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 10 | Salt is the most readily available material |
| 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Salt does not melt the snow and ice fast enough |
| 6 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | Salt is the least harmful to vehicles |
| 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | Salt is a more expensive material compared with other effective
solutions |
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Salt isn’t effective in preventing snow and ice from sticking
|
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Salt is the least harmful to the roads and streets |
| 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Salt is the easiest to clean up after the weather event |
About the PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll
PEMCO Insurance commissioned this independent survey, conducted by FBK Research of Seattle, that
asked Washington and Oregon residents questions about driving habits and attitudes toward current
Northwest issues. The sample size, 578 respondents in Washington and 427 in Oregon, yields an
accuracy of +/- 4.2 and 4.8% respectively at the 95% confidence level. In other words, if this study
were conducted 100 times, in 95 instances the data will not vary by more than the associated error
range.
Supplemental interviews were conducted with people living in the Seattle metro area, including King,
Snohomish and Pierce counties, and those in the Portland metro area, including Clackamas, Marion,
Multnomah and Washington counties. The sample size, 578 respondents in the Seattle area and 509 in
the Portland area, yields an accuracy of +/- 4.2% and +/- 4.4% respectively at the 95% confidence
level.
About PEMCO Insurance
PEMCO Insurance is the Defender of Your Northwest, providing auto, home, renters and boat coverage.
We are consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee expertise and social impact. Our
Mutual Good programs raise the achievement levels for youth in education; build stronger, greener
environments; and increase safety at home, on the road and at play. Our mission: Free our
communities to worry less and live more.
Read more about winter driving
