Driver Behavior

Safe road users, Safe vehicles and Safe roads

 

 

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A rocky road so far: Recreational marijuana and impaired driving

More than 30 states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico have programs that allow qualifying patients to access medical marijuana products. Another 13 states permit non-intoxicating medical marijuana products. Ten states and D.C. permit recreational marijuana, where any adult over the age of 21 can possess and use the drug. Recreational marijuana sales are booming.

 

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Background on: Marijuana and impaired driving

Overview

More states are passing legislation permitting medical and/or recreational marijuana use, which raises concerns about users driving under the influence of marijuana. This piece will discuss:

Facts + Statistics: Alcohol-impaired driving

Alcohol-impaired crashes are those that involve at least one driver or a motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 grams per deciliter or above, the legal definition of impaired driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety  Administration’s (NHTSA) Alcohol Impaired Driving Safety Fact Sheet, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2021—an increase of 14 percent from 2020.

Background on: Self-driving cars and insurance

Overview

Each new generation of cars is equipped with more automated features and crash avoidance technology. Indeed, many of today’s high-end cars and some mid-priced ones already have options, such as blind-spot monitoring, forward-collision warnings and lane-departure warnings. These will be the components of tomorrow’s fully self-driving vehicles.

Since most car crashes are caused by human error, in theory, taking control of the moving vehicle away from the driver is expected to drastically reduce highway fatalities.   

Facts + Statistics: Drowsy driving

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowsy driving is the dangerous combination of driving when sleepy. Drowsiness can make a person less able to pay attention to the road, lead to slow reaction time, and affect the ability to make good decisions.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drowsy-driving crashes:

Facts + Statistics: Aggressive driving

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as, “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.”

According to the AAA, aggressive driving is any unsafe driving behavior performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for safety, including:

Facts + Statistics: Distracted driving

Activities that take drivers’ attention off the road, including talking or texting on cellphones, eating, talking with passengers, adjusting vehicle controls, and other distractions, are major safety threats. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are three main types of distraction:

Background on: Distracted driving

Overview

Distracted driving remains a major roadway safety threat, involving behaviors such as talking or texting on mobile devices, eating, conversing with passengers, and other diversions while operating a vehicle.

The use of mobile phones and other electronic devices while driving has emerged as one of the leading causes of distracted driving related crashes. However, research shows that many types of distracted driving may lead to crashes and near crashes.

How big is the distracted driving problem?

Background on: Alcohol-impaired driving

Overview

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