NYS Department of Motor Vehicles
Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
Summary of Findings
In the Spring of 1998 a statewide telephone survey sponsored by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee was conducted by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (ITSMR), and Fact Finders, Inc. The survey measured opinions, knowledge and behaviors of New York State drivers with respect to:
The survey sample participants matched statewide demographics for the 1996 licensed driver population by age, gender and geographic region in New York State.
This survey contained a substantial number of items related to aggressive driving due to the widespread attention it has received in the past year. Much remains unknown about the scope, nature or causes of the problem or which drivers are most likely to drive aggressively. It is believed that this study provides the most in-depth examination to date of drivers' attitudes and behaviors with respect to aggressive driving.
Several of these highway safety topics were covered in a 1993 highway safety survey and a 1994 drowsy driving survey. Comparisons were made where the information is available.
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING
When asked what they believed to be most serious traffic safety problem, 51.3% of respondents said that behaviors associated with aggressive driving (e.g., speeding and unsafe lane changes or passing) represented the most serious traffic safety problems.
Based on participants' responses to this and to the following questions, it appears that aggressive driving is a common and, perhaps, increasingly frequent occurrence on our roadways.
Aggressive Driving by Other Drivers
The following questions surveyed drivers' experiences with aggressive driving:
"On the roads you drive, would you say aggressive driving is..."
| A major problem | 46.2% |
| A minor problem | 42.2% |
| Not a problem | 11.6% |
"Compared to five years ago, would you say that drivers today are... "
| More aggressive | 71.6% |
| About the same | 24.3% |
| Less aggressive | 4.1% |
"About how often do you see someone driving in a dangerously aggressive way? Would you say... "
| Every day | 28.9% |
| Almost every day | 25.9% |
| A few times a month | 35.6% |
| Less than once a month | 8.6% |
| Never | 1.0% |
In addition, drivers were asked to describe the aggressive driving that they observed. The most common behaviors mentioned were:
| Unsafe lane changes or passing | 74.8% |
| Speeding | 49.5% |
| Tailgating | 26.9% |
| Not using signals | 15.5% |
| Disobeying lights | 10.9% |
| Disobeying Signs | 5.8% |
Respondents' Own Aggressive Driving
When respondents were asked how often they drove in a way that they would consider aggressive, 58.6% admitted to driving aggressively once in a while or more frequently. They were then asked if they drove more aggressively when:
| In a hurry or running late | 40.5% |
| In a bad mood | 19.3% |
| Angered by another driver | 17.0% |
They were also asked about what driving behaviors had they engaged in that they would consider aggressive:
| Speeding | 30.3% |
| Unsafe lane changes & passing | 17.3% |
| Tailgating | 8.9% |
| Disobeying lights or signs | 7.0% |
| Shouting | 3.8% |
| Honking the horn | 3.5% |
Drivers were then asked if they had engaged in these specific behaviors in the past few months:
| Shouting & swearing | 29.4% |
| Unsafe lane changes | 21.7% |
| Tailgated or flashed high beams at a slow-moving driver | 17.4% |
| Ran a red light | 15.7% |
| Made an obscene gesture to another driver | 12.6% |
Some responses were analyzed by region of residence, age and gender of respondents. Regionally more drivers in New York City (60.4%) than on Long Island (51.7%) or Upstate (36.3%) felt that aggressive driving was a major problem. The youngest drivers were more likely to drive aggressively, and men were more likely than women to have engaged in aggressive driving behaviors. More than nine in ten drivers support increased penalties for drivers convicted of road rage or criminal aggressive driving.
OCCUPANT PROTECTION
New York's mandatory seat belt law requires all front-seat occupants and children up to the age of ten who are riding in the back seat to wear seat belts.
Air Bags and Seat Belts
The following questions were asked to gauge shifts in opinion between 1992 and 1998.
| 1998 | 1992 | |
| Vehicle equipped with an air bag? | 52.1% | 12.5% |
| Driver safer with an air bag? | 60.5% | |
| Buckle your seat belt while driving a vehicle equipped with an air bag? | 94.9% | 84.5% |
| Always wear your seat belt? | 74.8% | 64.9% |
| Enforcement of the seat belt law somewhat or very strict? | 41.2% | 21.1% |
In response to the question "When was the last time you did not wear your seat belt when driving?", 9.9% said "Today". The most frequent reasons given for not wearing a seat belt were:
| Making a short trip | 35.1% |
| Forget | 27.7% |
| Uncomfortable | 18.3% |
Child Safety Seats
According to New York State law, children who are less than four years old must be placed in a federally approved safety seat. Approximately one-third of the respondents reported having children under 4 years old riding with them. The frequency of child safety seat use decreases with the child's age as shown in the table below:
| Percentage of Children Under Age Four Riding with a Driver |
Percentage by Age of Child |
||||
| Children in Safety Seat |
< One | One | Two | Three | |
| Always | 89.9% | 97.9% | 91.3% | 94.1% | 82.8% |
| Most of the time | 2.5% | 0% | 4.3% | 3.4% | 2.3% |
| Sometimes | 1.3% | 0% | 4.3% | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Never | 6.3% | 2.1% | 0% | 1.7% | 13.3% |
Respondents were asked to specify the safest location in the car for a child safety seat. Less than half (45.9%) of the respondents knew that safety experts recommend a child safety seat be placed in the middle of the back seat. Respondents who have children under age 4 riding with them were slightly more knowledgeable, with 51.5% knowing about this recommendation.
SPEEDING
Respondents were asked how fast they usually drive on roadways with posted speed limits of 30 MPH, 55 MPH and 65 MPH.
| 30 MPH | 55 MPH | 65 MPH | |||||
| Under 30 | 8.0% | Under 55 | 8.5% | Under 65 | 22.9% | ||
| 30 | 49.7% | 55 | 32.0% | 65 | 37.5% | ||
| 31 -35 | 29.9% | 56 - 60 | 41.1% | 66 - 70 | 33.0% | ||
| Over 35 | 12.4% | Over 60 | 18.4% | Over 70 | 6.6% | ||
DROWSY DRIVING
In 1994, a Task Force on Drowsy Driving was formed to study the extent of the problem. At that time, a survey was done to determine the percentage of people who have fallen asleep at the wheel. As reflected by the following survey results, that percentage is virtually unchanged in 1998.
| 1998 | 1994 | |
| Have you ever fallen asleep, even for one moment, when driving? | 23.3% | 24.7% |
| Have you driven drowsy in the past month? | 18.8% | |
| Have you driven more than once in the past month, when you were drowsy? |
10.3% |
ALCOHOL-IMPAIRED DRIVING
About two-thirds of the participants said that they consume alcohol. According to the survey, the frequency of drinking alcoholic beverages was similar in 1992 and 1998.
| Frequency of Drinking Alcoholic Beverages | ||
| 1998 | 1992 | |
| Daily | 3.3% | 3.3% |
| 3 to 4 Times a Week | 5.9% | 6.2% |
| Weekends Only | 6.9% | 9.2% |
| Occasionally | 47.4% | 47.0% |
| Never | 36.5% | 34.4% |
The total percentage of individuals who indicated that, in the past year, they had driven after they thought they had had too much to drink was slightly lower than in 1992.
| In the past year, how many times have you driven when you thought you drank too much alcohol to drive safely? | ||
| Total Not Drinking & Driving | 92.8% | |
| Do not drink and drive | 56.3% | |
| Do not drink | 36.5% | |
| 1 - 2 times | 6.1% | |
| 3 or more times | 1.3% |
PUBLIC INFORMATION
Respondents were asked if during the past three months they had seen, read or heard any public service announcements or advertising about the five following specific highway safety issues:
| Drinking & Driving | 88.5% |
| Air Bags | 61.8% |
| Seat Belts | 58.4% |
| Child Safety Seats | 53.7% |
| Drowsy Driving | 24.9% |
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/hssurvey.htm -- Revised: March 03, 2006
Copyright © 2002 NYS Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
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