AAA reveals concerning trends among coastal residents ahead of a hurricane
The Atlantic hurricane runs through November 30 with the first hurricane forming around August 11. Flooding is the costliest natural disaster in the United States but is not covered by homeowner’s insurance.
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MIAMI - As the hurricane season gets underway, experts at the American Automobile Association are warning that not everyone who lives in a hurricane evacuation zone will leave before the threat from a storm.
Out of the AAA members polled, Florida came out on top for having the highest percentage of respondents saying they’ll ride out the storm, and the number has gradually increased.
Around 27 percent of Floridians recently told the auto club that they would stay in their home through a hurricane, despite being in an evacuation zone.
Out of the majority who said they would evacuate, nearly two-thirds said the hurricane would have to be significant in order for them to leave.
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"Staying in the path of a potentially deadly storm is just not worth the risk," Mark Jenkins, a public relations manager at AAA, said in a statement. "Take steps now to develop an evacuation plan for your family and pets. If you’re worried about property damage, contact your insurance advisor. Having adequate coverage will give you the peace-of-mind in knowing that anything damaged while you’re gone can be repaired or replaced."
The reasons given by respondents for not heeding the advice from local emergency management or meteorologists change year by year, as socioeconomic issues often play a key role.
In previous years, respondents have told AAA that their family’s health during the pandemic or rising prices were key hindrances for not evacuating, but in the run up to 2024, there are new explanations for planning not to leave.
Thirty-three percent of respondents said they would want to stay to take care of their property, and twenty-nine percent said they believe the storm will turn away from them.
The response of 'believing the storm will turn away from their direction' has gained popularity over the last several years, but the AAA did not delve into what’s behind the reasoning.
2024 ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON COULD BE AMONG MOST ACTIVE ON RECORD, EXPERTS PREDICT
Tropical cyclone season runs through November 30, and due to an impending La Niña, hurricane experts warn the year could be more impactful than previous seasons.
Colorado State University released its annual outlook in April, which called for as many as 23 named storms, and NOAA recently said it expected in the range of 17-25 systems.
The first named storm typically forms by June 20, with the first hurricane in the basin being tracked by August 11.