A higher proportion of American drivers admit to speeding, driving distracted and engaging in other risky behaviors than those who steadfastly follow the rules of the road, according to the latest AAA Traffic Safety Culture Index.
The report, updated annually by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, measures the public’s attitude on the roadway by asking drivers about their perceived level of danger for various driving behaviors, with most drivers saying unsafe driving behaviors are very or extremely dangerous. Yet, many have admitted to engaging in these dangerous behaviors at least once in the previous 30 days.
For example, while 93% of drivers identified hand-held phone use as an extremely risky behavior, more than a third admitted to reading a text or email or holding a phone while driving over the previous 30 days.
In 2023, nearly 41,000 people were killed in U.S. traffic crashes, a sobering reminder of the ongoing public health crisis on our roads. Despite a slight decrease from the previous year, the threat posed by risky driving behaviors remains alarmingly high.
The new report illuminates this issue by categorizing drivers based on their self-reported risky behaviors. Speeding, distracted driving and aggressive driving emerged as the most prevalent dangerous habits.
Key Findings
Distracted Driving
- Most drivers (93%) recognize the dangers of texting, emailing and reading while driving.
- However, 27% of drivers reported sending a text/email while driving; 37% read a text/email; and 36% spoke on a hand-held phone while driving in the previous 30 days.
Aggressive Driving and Speeding
- Most drivers (89%) perceive aggressive driving as dangerous and 81% said the same about running red lights. Yet 27% ran at least one red light in the previous 30 days.
- And nearly half (49%) admitted to driving 15 mph over the posted speed limit on a freeway at least once in the previous 30 days, while 36% of drivers reported driving 10 mph over the posted speed limit on a residential street.
Drowsy Driving
- Most drivers (96%) recognize the dangers of drowsy driving.
- However, 20% admitted to driving while drowsy in the previous 30 days.
Impaired Driving
- Drivers overwhelmingly perceive drunk driving as dangerous (95%) and socially unacceptable. Yet 7% admitted to engaging in this behavior in the previous 30 days.
- By comparison, only 70% of drivers felt that it was very or extremely dangerous to drive within an hour of using cannabis, and 6% reported having done it in the previous 30 days.
Driver Profiles
The survey identified five distinct driver profiles.
- Safe Drivers: Rarely engage in risky behaviors – 34.9%.
- Distracted Drivers: Primarily engage in all distracted driving behaviors – 19%.
- Speeding Drivers: Primarily engage in speeding behaviors – 32.6%.
- Distracted and Aggressive Drivers: Engage in distracted and aggressive driving – 11%.
- Most Dangerous Drivers: Engage in all risky driving behaviors – 2.5%.
“The survey’s findings highlight just how prevalent speeding is, especially among drivers who take other risks behind the wheel,” said Jillian Young, Director of Public Relations, AAA Northeast. “Enforcement, community outreach and education continue to be absolutely critical to curbing a wide range of risky driving behaviors and ultimately lowering the number of traffic crash fatalities in the U.S.”
The AAA Foundation’s annual TSCI survey has been a decade-long deep dive into driver behavior. As traffic dangers rise, the latest TSCI offers crucial insights into driver attitudes and risky habits, guiding the development of life-saving safety measures. Please refer to the full TSCI for data collection methodology and limitations.
