TAMPA, Fla. — A recent survey found a large amount of Floridians ignore hurricane evacuation warnings.
The AAA Auto Club Group released its Consumer Pulse survey that said 27% of participants said they would ignore evacuations. Among the people who said they would consider evacuating, 64% said they would only leave for a Category 3 hurricane or stronger.
Most people who wouldn't evacuate said they want to stay in case there's damage to the house or property they can fix followed by they believe the storm will turn away from their direction.
While most people responded that they feel prepared for the 2024 hurricane season, which starts on Saturday, 57% of participants said they don't have an emergency plan in case a natural disaster occurs.
While it is still early to tell exactly how Florida or the Tampa Bay area will be affected, forecasters are predicting an active season
Forecasters from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued the highest pre-season outlook in its history. They predicted 17 to 25 named storms, 8 to 13 hurricanes and 4-7 major hurricanes.
For tips on how you can prepare for hurricane season click here.
The survey was conducted over five days in April, and a total of 5,000 residents completed it.