Share and Follow
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A survey from the AAA Auto Club Group reveals that about a quarter of Florida residents would ignore evacuation orders ahead of an approaching hurricane.
AAA released the findings from its annual hurricane season survey, just one day before the season gets underway.
The survey found that approximately one-in-five (19%) Floridians fail to plan ahead for storm season and just under a quarter (24%) of residents say they will ignore orders to evacuate ahead of the storm.
The reasons respondents gave for ignoring evacuation warnings range from lack of funds for hotel or travel, to not having a safe place for their pets to go. 40% of those who refuse to evacuate said they want to stay to keep an eye on their property and mitigate damage.
17% those who intend to ignore evacuation orders cited fear of looting after the storm as a reason for their decision. Over half of those who would evacuate said they would not do so unless the storm was a category three or higher.
Read Related Also: Great movies for your Memorial Day weekend
“Staying in the path of a potentially deadly storm is just not worth the risk,” said Mark Jenkins, Public Relations Manager for AAA – The Auto Club Group. “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.”
AAA wants to remind homeowners to review their insurance ahead of hurricane season and to consider purchasing coverage for flood damage. In 2022, nearly 40% of insurance claims came from homes that were not in high-risk flood zones, according to AAA.
“The historic flooding earlier this year in South Florida is a reminder that it doesn’t take a hurricane to cause catastrophic flood damage,” The Auto Group wrote in a release. “It’s also proof you don’t have to live in a high-risk flood zone to experience flooding.”
There is a 30-day waiting period before new flood insurance policies can take effect, which 52% of respondents to the AAA survey said they were not aware of.
