It’s a sad fact, but car crashes cause fatalities. Did you know that someone dies every 15 minutes on our nation’s roadways? In fact, 34,000 people died in traffic collisions in 2012, which was the first annual increase in seven years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
While fatal crashes have gone up by about 5.3 percent, Americans’ perception about dangerous driving behaviors has gone down, even though most deadly car accidents occur due to recklessness and negligence. According to a AAA study, motorists aren’t as concerned with dangerous driving behaviors as they used to be. For example, aggressive driving, drowsy driving, and drunk driving were once thought of as dangerous driving behaviors, but the amount of people who actually think these behaviors nowadays are a threat to them on the road have declined.
The study took a look at four years of public surveys conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Here are the survey results:
- 21 percent decline in the number of people who believe driving after drinking is a serious threat — survey results reveal 90 percent of people in 2009 thought this driving behavior was dangerous, compared with only 69 percent of people who thought the same way in 2012.
- 25 percent decline in the number of people who believe driving while sleepy is a serious threat — survey results reveal 71 percent of people in 2009 who though this driving behavior was dangerous, compared with 46 percent in 2012.
- 6 percent decline in the number of people who believe texting or emailing while driving is a serious threat — survey results reveal 87 percent of people surveyed in 2009 thought this driving behavior was a serious threat to roadway safety, compared with 81 percent in 2012.
- 7 percent decline in the number of people who believe red-light running to be completely unacceptable — survey results reveal 77 percent of people surveyed in 2009 felt this driving behavior was completely unacceptable compared to 70 percent in 2012.
What’s shocking about this survey is that many strides have been made to teach drivers about the dangers of texting while driving, drunk driving, and driving drowsy. Unfortunately, many drivers aren’t getting the message that these driving behaviors are downright dangerous and can translate into more fatal traffic collisions.
As a personal injury lawyer, I urge all drivers to pay close attention to the road and make safe and smart decisions every time you are behind the wheel. If you have been a victim of someone else’s carelessness and recklessness on the road, you need to speak with a knowledgeable accident attorney. For a free consultation about your legal rights, contact the Law Offices of David Benenfeld at 866-9 HELP NOW or (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 today.
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