September 2004 - Accident Reconstruction Newsletter

National Survey of Speeding and Unsafe driving - final Report July 2003

Executive Summary

Background

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, reduce traffic-related healthcare and other economic costs, and promote fuel economy. NHTSA estimates that 30% of all fatal crashes involve one ore more drivers who were exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast for conditions (FARS 2001). The economic cost to society of speeding related crashes is estimated to be $40.4 billion per year (Traffic Safety Facts 2001, National Center for Statistics and Analyses, NHTSA).

NHTSA first conducted a study on the driving public’s attitudes and behaviors regarding speeding and unsafe behaviors in 1997. In 2002 NHTSA undertook a second survey of drivers to collect updated data on the nature and scope of the speeding and unsafe driving problem with the intent of understanding how serious the problem is in the public’s eyes, and what countermeasures the public may accept to counter these problems. NHTSA will use the data to guide the development of programs directed at speeding and unsafe driving practices.

The Gallup Organization conducted telephone interviews between February 4 and April 14, 2002, with a nationally representative sample of 4,010 drivers age 16 or older in the United States.

Key Findings

Affinity for Speeding
Self-Reported Speeding Behavior
Speeding is a pervasive behavior with about three-quarters of drivers reporting they drove over the speed limit on all types of roads within the past month, and one-quarter or more reported speeding over the limit on the day of interview (reported below as today). Self-reported speeding behaviors in the past month and most recent day include speeding on:

• multi-lane interstate highways (78% in past month and 25% today)
• two-lane roads (78% and 31%)
• city, town, or neighborhood streets (73% and 33%)
• non-interstate multi-lane roads (83% and 31%)

A majority of drivers of all ages admit to speeding, however:

• Younger drivers are most likely to report at least speeding monthly with at least eight of ten speeding on each road type.
• Males are generally 50% more likely than females to drive over the posted speed limit.
• Of those age 65 or older, at least six in ten or more report speeding on all road types.

Agreement With Statements on Personal Driving
A substantial proportion of the driving population indicates an affinity for speed. The survey asked drivers to rate their personal agreement with six statements about their driving. At least three in ten drivers agree strongly or somewhat with each of the six statements below:

• I often get impatient with slow drivers (53% agree strongly or somewhat).
• I worry a lot about having a crash (46%).
• I enjoy the feeling of driving fast (34%).
• I try to get where I am going as fast as I can (30%).
• The faster I drive the more alert I am (30%).
• I tend to pass other cars more often than they pass me (30%).

Younger drivers (age 16 to 20) are much more likely than drivers overall to agree that they:

• Get impatient with slow drivers (65% compared to 53% overall).
• Enjoy the feeling of driving fast (52% compared to 34%).
• Tend to pass other cars more often than are passed (44% compared to 30%).

While at least three-quarters of drivers admit to driving over the speed limit, most seem to have a limit as to how much over the limit they will travel on different types of roads. Large proportions of drivers report driving 10 MPH over the posted speed limit on interstate highways (51%) and driving 10 MPH faster than most other vehicles (34%). However, a relatively smaller proportion reports similar behaviors at higher speeds, including driving 20 MPH over the posted speed limit on interstate highways (12%) and driving 20 MPH faster than most other vehicles (10%).

Drivers under age 30 are most likely to report these speeding behaviors, with the propensity to do so falling significantly with age.

Self-Reported Risky Driving Behavior
While 29% of drivers report that they drive through traffic by switching lanes often or sometimes, only one in ten or fewer report engaging in other risky driving behaviors, including:

• tailgating another vehicle (10% sometimes or often)
• driving through stop signs without slowing down (4%)
• racing another driver (3%)

Attitudes About Speed Limits
Speed Level Before Likely Ticket
Drivers think they can travel between 7-8 MPH over the posted speed limit, on average, before police would normally give them a ticket. Specifically, they feel safe from enforcement driving the following amounts over posted speed limits on different road types:

• 7.8 average MPH over on multi-lane interstate highways (36% feel they can go 10 MPH or more over the limit)
• 7.6 average MPH over on non-interstate multi-lane roads with speeds of 40-55 MPH (30% 10 MPH over)
• 6.7 average MPH over two-lane roads with speeds of 45 MPH or more (28% 10 MPH over)
• 7.0 average MPH over on city, town, or neighborhood roads (26% 10 MPH over)

Drivers have the following views on how many miles per hour over the speed limit they think should be allowed before ticketing:

• 10.0 average MPH over on multi-lane interstate highways (53% feel tickets should be issued at 10 MPH over the limit)
• 8.9 average MPH over on non-interstate multi-lane roads with speeds of 40-55 MPH (53% at 10 MPH)
• 8.1 average MPH over two-lane roads with speeds of 45 MPH or more (43% at 5 MPH; 46% at 10 MPH)
• 7.4 average MPH over on city, town, or neighborhood roads (59% at 10 MPH)

Appropriateness of Existing Speed Limits
While three-quarters or more of drivers admit to exceeding the limit on all road types, most drivers feel that the existing speed limits on roads are appropriate, with the following proportions of drivers saying the speed limits are “about right”:

• 83% for city, town, or neighborhood roads (73% report speeding on this road type in the past month)
• 78% for two-lane roads with speeds of 45 MPH or more (78% report speeding)
• 74% for non-interstate multi-lane roads with speeds of 40-55 MPH (83% report speeding on this road type while 22% say limits are too low)
• 61% for multi-lane interstate highways (78% report speeding) while 35% say limits are too low

Ideal Speed Limits
When asked what the speed limit for interstate highways should be, drivers see an average of about 67 MPH about right, with about half of all drivers (49%) feeling that the limit on interstates should be 70 MPH or higher.

The perception of the ideal speed limit for interstate highways varies by NHTSA region, with the following three Central regions reporting an average ideal of 70 MPH or more:

• Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) – 70 MPH average
• Region 7 (IA, KS, MS, NE) – 70 MPH average
• Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) – 71 MPH average

The following regions in the Midwest and Northeast report the lowest preferred speed limits:

• Region 1 (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) – 64 MPH average
• Region 2 (NJ, NY, PR, VI) – 64 MPH average
• Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV) – 65 MPH average

Factors Affecting Speed Selection by Motorists

Drivers were asked to rate how important various factors were to them in selecting the speed they drive on different types of roads. While there were some small differences by the type of road (i.e. interstate vs. local streets vs. two-lane roads, etc.) the patterns of the importance of factors are similar.

The five most important factors drivers say they consider when selecting road speed (across different roadway types) include:

• Weather conditions (about eight often name it as very important for speed selection)
• Driver’s personal assessment of what speed is safe (at least seven often very important)
• Posted speed limits (about two-thirds very important)
• The amount of traffic on the road (about two-thirds very important)
• Driver’s personal experience on that road (about six often very important)

The following factors were very important to about one half or fewer drivers when selecting road speed:

• Speed of other drivers (about half very important)
• The chance of being stopped by police (about half very important)
• Amount of time driver has to get their destination (slightly over one third very important)

DOWNLOAD THE FULL REPORT (PDF)

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• ARC Network New Members
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