New research finds that drivers who are more likely to engage in risky behaviors on the road also spend more time behind the wheel, revealing the elevated danger the phenomenon presents.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety polling of active drivers found that though the vast majority of them agree certain behaviors are dangerous, including texting behind the wheel, not a few admit to engaging in them at times.
The research also pinpointed the most common dangerous habits: speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving.
“This work helps us uncover the public’s perspective on traffic safety, enabling the creation of targeted solutions that make a real difference in reducing traffic crashes and fatalities,” said foundation President and Executive Director David Yang.
More than a quarter of survey respondents – 27% – said they’d texted or emailed on the road, 37% had read a text or email, and 36% had held and talked on a phone in the previous 30 days.
Meanwhile, 27% of survey respondents said they’d run at least one red light during the period; 49% had driven 15 mph over a freeway’s speed limit at least once; and 36% had exceeded a residential street’s speed limit by 10 mph. Twenty percent said they’d driven while drowsy; 7% said they’ve driven while drunk, 6% had gotten behind the wheel within an hour of using marijuana.
AAA identified five driver profiles based on the safety of drivers’ behavior, finding that the various unsafe categories outweigh the safe-driver one. It found that safe drivers comprise 35% of those on the road; distracted drivers 19%; speeders 33%; distracted and aggressive drivers 11%; and the most dangerous drivers, who engage in all of the risky behaviors, make up about 3%.
Interestingly, fewer respondents said they perceive driving on pot extremely dangerous than those who consider driving drunk as such, 70% versus 95%.
