agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Risky Driving Behavior Analyzed

‘Safe’ drivers on the roads less than those who admit to engaging in dangerous moves, AAA survey finds.

December 6, 2024
Risky Driving Behavior Analyzed

Though traffic deaths decreased last year, almost 41,000 died on U.S. roads, AAA said.

Credit:

Pixabay/Alexas Fotos

2 min to read


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.

Ad Loading...

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%.

Ad Loading...

Interestingly, fewer respondents said they perceive driving on pot extremely dangerous than those who consider driving drunk as such, 70% versus 95%.

LEARN MORE: Traffic Fatalities Keep Falling

More Industry

F&Iby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 27, 2026

Price Driving Insurance Churn

Over half of insurance holders ages 18 to 29 reported to be 'somewhat' likely to change providers in the next 90 days, according to CivicScience, which found that interest was lower among older age groups.

Read More →
Industryby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 26, 2026

AI Drives Dealer Website Traffic

Total visits to dealer websites from generative artificial intelligence platforms grew more than 15 times year-over-year, signaling a shift in how many consumers shop for cars online.

Read More →
Industryby Hannah MitchellFebruary 26, 2026

Automakers Tops in Fuel Economy

In the U.S., Honda has the most efficient gas-electrified combo lineup while Tesla beats all automakers in annual EPA ranking as brands built their alternative-fuel offerings.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
F&Iby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 25, 2026

Report Finds Year-End F&I Strength

Deal volume ebbed and flowed throughout 2025, but product performance remained steady, according to automotive technology and data intelligence solutions provider StoneEagle.

Read More →
Industryby Hannah MitchellFebruary 24, 2026

Overall Consumer Confidence Up

Americans’ view of present business conditions, the labor market and family finances, though, are still in the dumps, and if they plan to buy cars, many target used units.

Read More →
Auto Financeby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 23, 2026

Auto Loan Forecast Bucks Market Trend

Auto loan originations rose over 6% year-over-year in the third quarter of 2025, but TransUnion predicts a slight decline in auto loan growth this year, making it an outlier in the company's overall lending forecast.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
F&Iby Hannah MitchellFebruary 23, 2026

Some Auto Brands Cheaper to Insure

A new top 10 list ranks the least expensive for average full insurance coverage on a clean driving record and high driver credit scores.

Read More →
Industryby StaffFebruary 20, 2026

Learn to Manage the Mayhem at Agent Summit

Rob Mancuso – president of Mancuso Automotive – will present a Keynote at the 2026 event.

Read More →
Fixed Opsby Hannah MitchellFebruary 20, 2026

Auto Recalls Sank Last Year

2025 Sedgwick data indicate that the number of vehicles affected fell to its lowest point in more than a decade.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Industryby Lauren LawrenceFebruary 19, 2026

Affordability Leads Top-Rated List

Edmunds’ editorial team tested 300-plus vehicles to help determine the Top Rated Awards for 2026, and one brand stood out with multiple rankings, including Best of the Best.

Read More →