(WWJ) Regular users of social media have probably seen this meme: Welcome back, non-essential workers, we drive fast now. Apparently, drivers also use cell phones behind the wheel, and fail to stop at red lights.
Sometimes -- for nearly 10% of drivers in a 30-day AAA survey -- they drive after drinking.
AAA is reminding people to stay safe on the roads as pandemic restrictions ease and drivers' actual habits are revealed in the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's annual Traffic Safety Culture Index (TSCI). The TSCI, which was conducted before the pandemic, shows a significant gap between what drivers consider dangerous and what they report doing themselves.
It found that drivers perceive distracted, aggressive, drowsy and impaired driving as dangerous, yet many admit to engaging in at least one of these exact behaviors in the 30 days before the survey.
See the full results below.
Behavior
Perceive as Dangerous
Have done in the last 30 days
Reading on a cell phone
94.3%
38.6%
Typing on a cell phone
96.2%
29.3%
Talking on a handheld cell phone
79.7%
43.2%
Driving 15 mph over the speed limit on a freeway
55.1%
42.8%
Driving 10 mph over the speed limit on a residential street
64%
41.5%
Driving through a red light
86%
31%
Driving while being so tired that they had a hard time keeping their eyes open
96.1%
23.6%
Driving after drinking enough alcohol to be over the legal limit
94%
9.8%
Driving within an hour after using marijuana
68.7%
6.3%
Driving while using potentially impairing prescription drugs
88.4%
5.8%
The pandemic's effect on driving included a reminder in April from Michigan State Police that it wasn't okay to speed on freeways just because traffic volume was lower than usual. After that warning, they still nabbed numerous travelers on local freeways at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
"A crash at these speeds is usually deadly," warn Michigan State Police, who say a dozen drivers were caught speeding near, at or over 100 miles per hour on I-75, I-696 and M-59 in just one weekend in May.
AAA recommends these safety tips to keep everyone safe on the road:
- Out of sight, out of mind. Stow your smartphone away, turn it to airplane mode, or activate call/text blocking features like Apple's Do Not Disturb.
- Slow down. Drivers tend to overestimate time saved by speeding. You'd have to travel 100 miles to save roughly 5 minutes, moving at 75 mph instead of 70 mph. Speed kills and isn't worth the cost.
- Stay alert. Get adequate rest and stop driving if you become sleepy. Fatigue impacts reaction time, judgment, and vision, causing people who are very tired to behave in similar ways to those who are drunk.
- Drive sober. If you consume marijuana, alcohol, or use potentially impairing prescription medications, then don't drive. And if you're going to drive, then don't consume these substances. If you are taking prescription medications, visit Roadwise Rx to learn if they can impair driving.
- Watch for vulnerable road users. Biking and walking have soared in popularity this year, and it is the responsibility of every driver to watch and share the road safely with cyclists and pedestrians.
"The pandemic has highlighted the extent to which individual decisions and behaviors can impact the health and safety of others," said Adrienne Woodland, Spokesperson for AAA – The Auto Club Group. "We need to remember that we are all 'in this together' when it comes to safety on the road as well."
