The American Automobile Association believes that even one death on the highways in a given year is too many, and notes widespread agreement from the American public. But it also finds many who admit driving unsafely. Listening to the radio did not make the list.
Driving while intoxicated is unsurprisingly at the top of the AAA list. Another no-brainer is the use of seatbelts, an act which almost everybody agrees with but which many occasionally neglect to do.
The biggest communications foibles involve cell phones, and the worst acts are reading and sending texts while attempting to drive. 35% of drivers polled admitted to reading a text or email, and 26% admitted to sending a message.
Engaging in a good old voice conversation on a cell phone is also widely known to be a driving distractions, but is not seen to be as bad as texting and reading emails. Over two thirds of us – 68% — admit to tossing safety by the wayside and talking on our phones while driving.
Speeding, particularly on residential streets, is widely acknowledged as a very unsafe habit, as is red light running.
Almost everybody agrees that driving while drowsy is a serious safety violation, but fully one third of respondents said they have driven while fighting off sleepiness in the month before the survey was taken.
RBR-TVBR observation: Using the radio while driving can actually have some benefits. A station that offers frequent and effective traffic reporting can help a smart driver avoid trouble spots – and a good radio station can help a driver combat one of AAA’s principal concerns – drowsiness.
