AAA explores risky driving behavior in new report
AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety has released a new report that explores how drivers think about and engage with risk behind the wheel.
This includes examining perceptions and attitudes towards dangerous behaviors, self-reported behaviors, perceptions on safe and risky driving in their neighborhoods, how drivers assess their own behavior and abilities, and how social stress can shape their driving behavior.
The study, titled “2025 Traffic Safety Culture Index,” collected data between July 31 and August 13, 2025. Analyses were conducted based on weighted data that consisted of 2,699 licensed drivers older than 16 years of age. The drivers completed an online survey and reported driving at least once in the past 30 days prior to the survey.
It found that drivers perceived scrolling through social media (95%), texting or emailing (93%), and reading a handheld phone (91%) as extremely or very dangerous. Yet, some of the survey takers reported scrolling through social media (10%), sending a text or email (28%), and reading their phone (38%) while driving.
Respondents also realized that the people important to them would disapprove (85%-98%) of distracted driving behaviors, depending on the behavior.
Driving aggressive (90%) and driving through a red light (78%) was perceived as extremely dangerous by respondents. Yet, fewer drivers perceived speeding as a dangerous activity.
“The speeding behaviors had the lowest perceived social disapproval of all the risky driving behaviors examined,” the analysis states.
Drivers predominantly perceived drowsy driving (95%) to be very or extremely dangerous but 20% of drivers reported having engaged in the behavior in the past 30 days prior to taking the survey.
Ninety-three percent of drivers perceived driving after drinking to be very or extremely dangerous, with 63% believing it would result in being arrested by police. Only 7% reported having engaged in the behavior in the past 30 days prior to taking the survey.
A lower number of respondents (71%) felt driving within an hour of marijuana use was very or extremely dangerous and 26% believed it would result in arrest. Six percent reported having engaged in the behavior in the past 30 days before taking the survey.
Respondents reported frequent risky behaviors by others in their neighborhoods, including 91% reporting speeding on freeways, 88% using cell phones, 86% driving to fast for residential roads, and 81% engaging in aggressive driving such as weaving or close passing.
Drivers said they also observed common safe behaviors including obeying school zone speed limits (88%), slowing in construction zones (87%), adjusting speed in poor weather (85%), taking extra care around pedestrians (91%), and exercising caution around cyclists (87%).
Most drivers perceived themselves more favorably than others, with 78% believing they drive more safely. Sixty-one percent felt more skillful and 60% believed they handled distractions better, while 66% thought others were more aggressive.
About 50% reported they drove similar speeds to others and 19% reported they drove faster. Perceived higher driving skills was positively associated with several risk behaviors, including driving 15 mph over the freeway speed limit, running a red light when a safe stop was possible, rapid lane changes, or tailgating. This also included driving without a seatbelt and using hands-free technology.
The analysis also found that drivers with higher levels of social stress were more likely to report drowsy driving and driving without wearing a seatbelt.
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