Despite a widespread understanding of the dangers of reckless driving, risky behaviors on the road remain common across the U.S. However, a new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) indicates strong public support for measures that could significantly curb traffic fatalities.

Federal estimates show that more than 39,000 people were killed in traffic crashes in the United States in 2024, with behaviors like distracted driving, speeding, and impaired driving as major factors.

“Findings from the AAA Foundation survey give us a strong sense of what drivers see as risky and what they want done about it,” said David Yang, PhD, President and Executive Director of the AAAFTS. “Those insights can help safety stakeholders and policymakers focus on effective solutions with broad public support.”

Strong Support for Impaired Driving Countermeasures

The annual Traffic Safety Culture Index examines driver attitudes and behaviors, revealing a desire for stronger safeguards against impaired driving:

Vehicle Technology: 67% of Americans support requiring all new cars to include alcohol impairment prevention technology.

Legal Limits: 51% support lowering the legal Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for driving from 0.08 to 0.05.

While 93% of those surveyed said driving after drinking is very or extremely dangerous, 7% admitted to doing so in the past 30 days. Similarly, while 70% view driving within an hour of using marijuana as extremely dangerous, 6% reported the behavior.

Distracted Driving and Speeding Remain Widespread

The survey highlights a significant gap between awareness and action, particularly regarding distracted driving:

Texting: 94% of people view texting while driving as extremely dangerous, yet 28% admitted to texting while driving in the last month.

Phone Bans: 79% of Americans support a ban on using a handheld phone while driving, while 40% even support limits on hands-free use.

The report also found that while aggressive driving and running red lights are overwhelmingly viewed as dangerous, about 50% of drivers admitted to speeding 15 mph over the limit in the past month.

“Those insights can help safety stakeholders and policymakers focus on effective solutions with broad public support,” said Yang.

To read the full report, visit the AAA Foundation page at: https://www.hoosier.aaa.com/news/aaa-foundation-survey-drivers-support-solutions-curb-dangerous-driving