The survey asked drivers about their perceived level of danger for various driving behaviors. The majority of drivers perceived unsafe driving behaviors as very or extremely dangerous, and yet, as in past years, many admitted to doing these behaviors at least once in the previous 30 days.
AAA believes understanding the different types of risky driving behaviors and the characteristics of drivers who engage in them is crucial for developing targeted interventions to achieve safe mobility.
As daily driving patterns and traffic volumes rebound from pandemic lows, traffic fatalities remain alarmingly high. Evidence points to fewer traffic stops, while fatal crashes involving risky behaviors like impaired driving and speeding remain an epidemic on our roadways.
AAA acknowledges the study highlights an important opportunity for enforcement to make an immediate safety impact.
A deeper dive into the research showed that many risky drivers in this study were classified into profiles that involved speeding behavior. AAA believes that focusing on speeding drivers will deter other risky driving behaviors like impaired driving and red-light running.
However, according to the new TSCI, fewer drivers perceive speeding as dangerous, and speeding behaviors have the lowest perceived social disapproval of all the examined unsafe driving behaviors. It is worth noting, however, that a motorist’s need for speed consistently fails to deliver shorter travel times. It would take driving 100 miles at 80 mph instead of 75 mph to shave just 5 minutes off a trip.
AAA has identified six driver profiles in the latest TSCI research as:
Safe Drivers (41.2%): Few in this group reported engaging in any risky driving-related behaviors, and more women (57%) composed the Safe Drivers group.
Speeding Drivers (22.7%): These drivers reported driving 15mph over the speed limit on freeways and/or 10mph over on residential streets but did not engage in most other dangerous behaviors.
Distracted and Aggressive Drivers (17.3%): Reported distracted driving behaviors (texting while driving), speeding, and aggressive behaviors, such as red-light running and switching lanes quickly.
Distracted Drivers (15.0%): These drivers reported distracted driving behaviors such as reading text messages and texting while driving.
Most Dangerous Drivers (2.4%): While these drivers consisted of only a small percentage of the drivers, they pose a serious risk to themselves and other road users as they reported engaging in all risky driving-related behaviors.
Impaired Drivers (1.3%): Most live in non-metropolitan areas. Interestingly, drivers with a 4-year college degree were far less likely to report driving while impaired. At the same time, the most “over-represented” group consisted of those with some college or an associate degree.
With a commitment to examining traffic safety, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has conducted its annual TSCI survey for more than a decade. As traffic safety concerns have escalated, insights from the latest TSCI shed light on public perceptions, attitudes, and engagement in unsafe driving behaviors, offering valuable guidance for developing effective countermeasures.
AAA continues to be an advocate for traffic safety and sharing the message of safe driving.
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