A recent AAA study suggests a “do as I say, not as I do” attitude toward risky driving behaviors is a major contributor to more dangerous roads. In addition, nearly half of drivers sampled don’t believe certain distractions even warrant being called a distraction, AAA’s 2014 Traffic Safety Culture Index found.
Of 2,705 licensed drivers surveyed, here are the most glaring highlights:
Running red lights: 73 percent responded by saying it’s completely unacceptable, while 36 percent said they’d run a red light in the past 30 days.
Texting: 79 percent of drivers say texting or emailing while driving is a serious threat, while 27 percent of drivers do it regardless.
Drowsy driving: 81 percent of respondents believe drowsy driving is completely unacceptable, but 29 percent have done so in the last 30 days.
Doing some simple math tells us there are a number of people out there that recognize dangerous behaviors and do them anyway.
Another surprise, almost half of those surveyed who use hands-free systems don’t believe them to be a distraction.
“Despite the growing body of research that offers evidence about the possible dangers of using hands-free technologies, most drivers don’t understand the risks and continue to use these technologies,” said Peter Kissinger, president and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
