New AAA Study Reveals a Sharp Rise in Dangerous Driving Behaviors
According to several news sources, including Natural News, a new AAA survey suggests that drivers in the United States have been taking a lot more risks on the road following the COVID pandemic.*
These dangerous behaviors include aggressive driving, running red lights, and driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. The AAA study states that 7.3% of drivers reported driving above the legal limit at least once this year. This is a 23% increase over last year's figure. Moreover, 5% of drivers admitted to driving within an hour of consuming or smoking marijuana. That is a 13.4% rise. The study also found that red light running rose by 10% and a 7.5% increase in aggressive driving. There was also a 12% increase in speeding (15 miles per hour or more), and over 50% of drivers admitted they had driven at least 15 MPH over the posted speed limit in the past 30 days prior to the AAA survey.
These increases follow three years of continuous declines. The AAA Northeast Director of Public Affairs, Diana Gugliotta, stated that this reversal in the commonness of drivers engaging in dangerous driving behavior is alarming. This is especially worrisome since drivers understand these behaviors are not safe, yet many drivers still engage in these potentially deadly driving behaviors.
There has also been a 10.5% rise in traffic fatalities in 2021, which was a 16-year high. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, risky driving behaviors were the cause of a substantial number of traffic fatalities.
A recent Forbes Advisor report determined the most dangerous U.S. states for motorists. The study's analysis listed Montana as the most dangerous state to drive in the United States. South Carolina took the second spot, while Wyoming came in third. Missouri and New Mexico were ranked 4 and 5, respectively. South Dakota, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and North Carolina finished the final ten spots. The Forbes Advisor report recognized New Jersey, Utah, and Massachusetts as the top three safest states to drive.
Safety experts and government agencies hope that drivers will avoid accidents by driving responsibly. This includes observing the posted speed limits, avoiding drowsy driving, do not drive distracted, and never consume alcohol or drugs before driving. AAA's study also recommends what to do when you are in a car accident.
Sources:
https://www.naturalnews.com/2022-12-09-survey-dangerous-driving-behaviors-american-roads.html
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-08/alcohol-pot-use-by-us-drivers-are-rising-along-with-road-deaths?sref=jB82HHlm
https://www.foxnews.com/auto/aaa-alcohol-cannabis-use-increased-drivers-deaths
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/most-dangerous-states-for-drivers/
Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes. To learn more about our injury prevention programs, please visit iridesafe.com. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or a family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.
--
Montlick Injury Attorneys
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 529-6333
(800) LAW-NEED
Hours: Open Today · Open 24 hours
Plus Code: RMH6+38 Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Directions