Most drivers in Florence, Darlington, Columbia, Midlands and Pee Dee, SC likely would support stricter laws and new regulations to make the roads safer. A 2014 study on driver's behaviors and attitudes released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety indicated that five out of six motorists expressed support for their local governments putting a Vision Zero plan into place to try to eliminate deaths due to traffic collisions. A total of 89.3 percent of drivers said that they supported texting bans, and 80.2 percent of motorists indicated that they would support a law requiring an ignition interlock device for all DUI offenders.
Even though the study showed that most drivers support stronger laws, and find unsafe behaviors to be unacceptable, it also showed a contradiction. While drivers know certain behaviors are dangerous, many reported personally engaging in those behaviors. If drivers simply followed the safe driving rules they want to impose on others, the roads would be a much safer place for everyone. If drivers do engage in behaviors they know to be dangerous, victims should consult with a car accident lawyer for help pursuing a claim for damages.
Drivers Continue to Engage in Dangerous Behaviors
Drivers know the things they shouldn't be doing, but they do them anyway. The AAA's survey found that:
- 35.6 percent of drivers said they had ran a red light in the prior 30 days. Yet, 72.7 percent of drivers had described running a red light as completely unacceptable and 54.7 percent of drivers said running a red light was a very serious threat to safety.
- 43.5 percent of drivers said that in the past 30 days, they had exceeded the posted speed limit in a residential area by at least 10 miles per hour. However 64.6 percent of people said going this fast was completely unacceptable and 45.2 percent of drivers said it was a very serious threat to exceed the posted limit by so much.
- 36.1 percent of drivers said they had read a text or an email while driving in the prior 30 days and 27.1 percent of drivers said they had typed a text or email as they were operating their vehicles.This is true despite the fact that 78.6 percent of drivers described the behavior as a serious safety threat and 84.4 percent said texting and emailing while driving was completely unacceptable. Younger drivers were significantly more likely than older motorists to believe distracting behaviors were OK and to engage in these behaviors.
- 29.4 percent of drivers admitted they had been behind the wheel when they were drowsy in the prior 30 days. Yet, 45 percent indicated that driving while fatigued is a serious threat and 81.3 percent said that driving while drowsy was not acceptable.
Drivers continue to make unsafe choices even though the vast majority know people who have had their lives turned upside down by collisions. One in 10 drivers has personally suffered serious injury in a collision and almost one in five has been in a serious crash. One in three motorists knows a close friend or relative who has been seriously injured or who was killed in a car crash. So many of these accidents could be prevented if drivers followed their own safety recommendations.
Contact Columbia injury lawyers at Matthews & Megna LLC by calling 1-803-799-1700 or visit https://www.matthewsandmegna.com. Serving the entire Florence, Darlington, Columbia, Midlands and Pee Dee, SC area.