Most drivers engage in risky behavior on the road, AAA survey finds

SALT LAKE CITY — A new survey from AAA found that a majority of drivers in the U.S. engaged in some type of risky behavior while on the road in 2023. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducts an annual survey to look at how people perceive risky driving behavior and how often they engage in those same behaviors. The survey asked respondents about behaviors like texting while driving, speeding and driving while drowsy or impaired. Respondents noted whether they felt like the behavior was dangerous, could lead to trouble with law enforcement and would cause disapproval from loved ones. Respondents were also asked whether they had engaged in the behavior in the last 30 days.

Responses

About 93% of respondents said manually texting or emailing while driving is very or extremely dangerous. Meanwhile, 27% said they had manually sent a text/email and 37% had read a text/email while driving in the past 30 days. Roughly 89% of respondents said that aggressive driving, like switching lanes quickly or tailgating, is very or extremely dangerous. Fewer people said that speeding was dangerous depending on the situation. Sixty-one percent of respondents said driving 10 mph over the limit in a neighborhood is very or extremely dangerous. In contrast, only 49% said driving 15 mph over the limit on a freeway was that dangerous. When it comes to drunk and drowsy driving, most respondents felt that the behavior was very or extremely dangerous. Ninety-six percent said drowsy driving was highly dangerous and 95% said drunk driving was highly dangerous. However, fewer respondents, 70%, said that driving after consuming marijuana was as dangerous. More people, 88%, felt that driving after using "potentially impairing prescription drugs" is very or extremely dangerous.

Types of drivers

The survey used responses to create driver profiles. The survey categorized respondents as safe, distracted, speeding, distracted and aggressive, or most dangerous drivers based on how often they engaged in certain behaviors.

• 34.9% of respondents were marked as safe drivers.
• 19% were marked distracted drivers.
• 32.6% were marked speeding drivers.
• 11% were marked distracted and aggressive drivers.
• Just 2.5% were marked as the most dangerous drivers — meaning that they engaged in all types of risky driving behaviors.

Safe drivers made up the largest group. However, the AAA Foundation noted that "the majority of drivers were classified into one of the other risky driving profiles, indicating that most U.S. drivers engage in risky behavior in on the roads." "With nearly 41,000 lives lost last year, we need to shift the 'do as I say, not as I do,' mentality on our roads," said Julian Paredes, spokesperson with AAA Utah, in a press release. "Addressing risky behaviors like speeding is key to making our roads safer for everyone."

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