According to the latest research from AAA, Americans are engaging in risky behaviors behind the wheel that they know to be unsafe. Missouri motorists are no exception.
Missouri Drivers Engaging In Risky Behaviors
The study conducted by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 87% of Americans admitted to engaging in at least one risky behavior while driving. While this is a huge percentage, it’s not exactly a shocking statistic.
What is shocking however, is that many of the same Americans who admitted to engaging in a risky behavior believed that it is unacceptable for other drivers to do so. Sounds a bit like the old adage, “Do as I say, not as I do” that many of our parents said to us when called out on their own bad behavior.
Some of the results shared in the AAA study include:
Distracted Driving
- 95% said it is unacceptable to text or email while driving
- 32% admitted to texting or emailing behind the wheel in the last 30 days
Speeding
- 89% said it is unacceptable to drive over 10mph over the limit in a neighborhood
- 45% admitted to speeding in neighborhoods in the last 30 days
Drowsy Driving
- 97% said it is unacceptable to drive while extremely tired or drowsy
- 32% admitted to driving drowsy in the last 30 days
Red-Light Running
- 94% said it is unacceptable to drive through a traffic light that just turned red
- 39% admitted to running a red light in the last 30 days
Remember, while categories are separated, this data is not pooled from different sources. A person who marked texting and driving as “unacceptable” for other drivers may have also admitted to doing so during the same survey.
Most Drivers Think They’re Better Than Average
AAA explained that “The vast majority of motorists believe they are more careful than others on the road.” This could be why they expect others to follow rules that they themselves do not adhere to.
This is especially surprising given that one in three of the respondents who completed the survey reported that they have had a friend or relative seriously injured or killed in a crash.
Keeping Missouri Roads Safe
At Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers, our goal is to make roads safer for our community and for our children. We’re asking Missouri drivers to start following their own advice, and pay attention behind the wheel.
If you’ve been injured in an accident that was caused by a driver who was texting, or engaging in other risky behaviors, it’s important to contact a lawyer right away. Your attorney can help preserve evidence that may be more difficult to find months later.
Case consultations are always free of charge at 314-444-4444.
