Driving while distracted, impaired, drowsy, speeding, running red lights or not wearing a seatbelt. About 87 percent of drivers engaged in at least one of these risky behaviors while behind the wheel within the past month, according to the latest research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These disturbing results come as nearly 33,000 Americans died in car crashes in 2014, and preliminary estimates project a nine percent increase in deaths for 2015.
The report finds that 1 in 3 drivers have had a friend or relative seriously injured or killed in a crash, and 1 in 5 have been involved in a crash that was serious enough for someone to go to the hospital.
“There is a culture of indifference for far too many drivers when it comes to road safety,” said Jana L. Tidwell, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “The vast majority of motorists believe they are more careful than others on the road, though most of them are not making safe decisions while behind the wheel. We’re asking every driver to make responsible decisions to make the roads safer for everyone.”
In 2014 poll conducted by the AAA Pennsylvania Federation, motorists were asked what their top safety concerns were behind the wheel. The top three answers were – drivers that text while driving, drunk drivers and aggressive drivers.
The new survey results are part of the AAA Foundation’s annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, which identifies attitudes and behaviors related to driver safety and can be viewed HERE. The survey data are from a sample of 2,442 licensed drivers ages 16 and older who reported driving in the past 30 days.
