New AAA Survey Finds Rise in Dangerous Driving on American Streets – zoohousenews.com

(Natural News) A new survey shows American drivers have taken significantly more risks on the road in the wake of the pandemic, including driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, running red lights and aggressive driving.

According to the AAA, 7.3 percent of drivers report driving at a time when they believed they exceeded the legal limit for alcohol consumption. That’s a 23.3 percent increase from 2020. Meanwhile, 5 percent of drivers admitted to driving within an hour of using cannabis, an increase of 13.4 percent.

However, these are not the only dangerous driving behaviors that people have admitted to. Red light driving increased 10.1 percent, and aggressive driving such as tailgating and quick lane changes increased 7.5 percent. Although half of drivers said it was dangerous to go beyond the posted speed limit on a freeway at a speed of 15 miles per hour or more, this behavior increased by 12.4 percent from 2020 to 2021, and more than half of the Drivers admitted they had done so within the 30 days prior to the questioning.

Meanwhile, 18.8 percent of drivers admitted they drove when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open, up 8.7 percent from a year earlier. And that’s despite the fact that 95 percent of drivers said they thought sleepy driving was dangerous.

After seven years of falling, 6.8 percent more drivers admitted to using handheld devices while driving, although 92 percent said it was very or extremely dangerous.

These increases come after a three-year period of steady declines. It is worth noting that the survey refers to self-reported behavior; The actual numbers are likely much higher as many individuals may not have been willing to admit that they had committed dangerous driving.

Diana Gugliotta, director of public affairs for the AAA Northeast, said: “The reversal in the frequency of US drivers exhibiting risky driving behavior is troubling. While drivers recognize that certain activities behind the wheel — such as speeding and handicap — are unsafe, many engage in these activities nonetheless.”

These self-reports of increasingly risky driving behavior come as the US saw a 10.5 percent increase in road fatalities in 2021. The 42,915 deaths recorded in 2021 marked a 16-year high. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said risky driving played a role in a significant number of those deaths.

Identified the most dangerous conditions for drivers

Meanwhile, a recent Forbes Advisor report identified the most dangerous conditions for motorists. To arrive at their conclusion, they analyzed five key metrics, including the total number of fatalities per capita, the number of fatal auto accidents per capita by state, the percentage of accidents attributed to negligent driving, and the percentage change in fatalities versus 2019 to 2020.

Their analysis found that Montana was the most dangerous state for drivers in the US, with South Carolina second and Wyoming third. Missouri and New Mexico completed the top five, while South Dakota, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and North Carolina finished fifth through tenth. According to the analysis, the three safest states to drive were New Jersey, Massachusetts and Utah.

The good news is that many accidents can be avoided by driving responsibly. This means respecting posted speed limits and avoiding driving while drowsy or impaired.

With the number of accidents increasing and so many American drivers engaging in risky behavior, AAA cautions that it’s important to know what to do in the event of a car accident. After checking for injuries, you should call 911 and stay at the scene. If there is no injury and it is safe to do so, move your vehicle away from traffic and turn on your hazard lights. Be sure to talk to everyone involved in the accident, take photos of the scene of the accident and contact your insurance company.

Sources for this article are:

Bloomberg.com

FoxNews.com

Forbes.com