Tougher safeguards to prevent impaired driving are welcomed by drivers, even as they admit to dangerous habits behind the wheel, a new survey by AAA found.

A new report by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) shows that while risky driving behaviors remain widespread, Americans strongly support a range of impaired-driving countermeasures that could significantly reduce fatalities.

“Findings from the AAA Foundation survey give us a strong sense of what drivers see as risky, and what they want done about it,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAAFTS. “Those insights can help safety stakeholders and policymakers focus on effective solutions with broad public support.”

The annual Traffic Safety Culture Index examines driver attitudes, self-reported behaviors, and support for evidence-based traffic safety policies.

This year’s results highlight a clear pattern, according to the safety foundation.

Even as some drivers continue to take dangerous risks, most Americans want stronger safeguards that prevent impaired driving, including advanced vehicle technologies and more protective legal standards.

The survey found that 67 percent support requiring all new cars to include alcohol-impairment prevention technology.

Another 51 percent support lowering the legal BAC limit from 0.08 to 0.05.

Despite the support for tougher restrictions, the survey found a troubling number of drivers still choose to drive impaired, with 93 percent reporting that driving after drinking is very or extremely dangerous, yet 7 percent say they did so in the past 30 days.

Another 70 percent said driving within an hour of using marijuana is very or extremely dangerous, with 6 percent reporting doing so.

“These findings show that the public is ready for stronger action,” said Gene Boehm, president and CEO of AAA, Inc. “People overwhelmingly want policies and technologies that prevent impaired driving, and those tools already exist. Implementing policies like the HALT Drunk Driving Law, alongside fair and effective enforcement, could save thousands of lives each year.”

The survey also found risky behavior persists in other areas:

Distracted Driving

• 97 percent reported scrolling social media, 94 percent texting/emailing, and 90 percent reading on a hand-held phone are extremely or very dangerous; yet 28 percent texted, 37 percent read messages, and 36 percent talked on a hand-held phone while driving.
• 79 percent support a hand-held phone ban, while only 40 percent support limits on hands-free use.

Aggressive Driving and Speeding

• 90 percent view aggressive driving and 80 percent running red lights as extremely or very dangerous.

Surprisingly, the survey found that fewer drivers saw speeding as dangerous compared to other risky behaviors.

• 58 percent believe they’d be caught driving 15 mph over the limit, yet about half did so in the past month.
• Only 46 percent support speed cameras on residential streets.