Speeding, distracted and aggressive driving persist, new survey finds

Risky driving behaviors such as speeding, distraction and aggression remain “alarmingly high” in the United States. Nearly 41,000 people died on the country’s roads in traffic accidents in 2023, a slight decrease from the previous year but still “a sobering reminder of the current public health crisis on our roads.”

Those are the main findings of a new survey released earlier this month by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a nonprofit research and education association, which analyzed data on self-reported risky driving behaviors. Speeding, distractions and aggression – “the deadly trio” – emerged as the most frequent dangerous habits. Drowsy and impaired driving habits were also addressed.

“Behind every deadly statistic is a real person,” David Yang, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation, said in a statement. “This work helps us uncover the public’s perspective on road safety, enabling the creation of targeted solutions that make it real.” difference in the reduction of traffic accidents and deaths.”

He Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI)An annual survey of driver behavior, habits, and attitudes asked drivers about their perceived level of danger for various driving behaviors. Many drivers admitted to engaging in dangerous behavior at least once in the previous 30 days.

The survey identified five driver profiles:

1. Safe driverswho rarely engage in risky behavior (34.9%), admitted to driving less, condemned risky driving behaviors, but other profiles seemed more indifferent to dangers and both safe drivers and their riskier counterparts shared a similar disdain for possible consequences of their actions.
2. distracted drivers primarily engage in all distracted driving behaviors: 19%
3. Drivers who speed They mainly engage in speeding behavior: 32.6%
4. Distracted and aggressive drivers Distracted and aggressive driving: 11%
5. The most dangerous driverswho engage in all risky driving behaviors (2.5%), admitted to speeding, distractions and impaired behaviors, logged more miles on the road, often in older vehicles with fewer safety features.

Other key findings:

• Most drivers (93%) recognize the dangers of texting, emailing, and reading while driving, but many drivers reported sending a text/email (27%), reading a text/email (37%) or hold and talk on the phone. phone (36%) while driving in the last 30 days.
• Most drivers perceived aggressive driving (89%) and running red lights (81%) as dangerous, however, 27% ran at least one red light in the previous 30 days. And nearly half (49%) admitted to driving 15 mph over the posted speed limit on a highway at least once in the past 30 days, while 36% of drivers reported driving 10 mph over the limit. posted speed limit on a residential street.
• Most drivers (96%) recognized the dangers of drowsy driving, but 20% admitted to drowsy driving in the previous 30 days.
• Drivers overwhelmingly perceive drunk driving as dangerous (95%) and socially unacceptable. However, 7% admitted to having engaged in this behavior in the previous 30 days. In comparison, only 70% of drivers considered driving within an hour of using cannabis to be very or extremely dangerous, and 6% reported doing so in the previous 30 days.

“It’s time to work smarter with the resources we have to save lives,” Jake Nelson, AAA’s director of highway safety advocacy, said in a statement. “The new AAA Foundation survey highlights that most drivers who take risks also speed. By prioritizing speed control, police can curb a wide range of risky driving behaviors and maximize their life-saving impact.”

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