Considering the dangers of an auto accident when on the road in Louisiana and across the U.S., it is important to keep an eye on the potential causes to try to avoid them. It is also useful to understand these causes after the accident has happened. A recent survey sought to determine why drivers choose to engage in risky acts. This survey, from Envista Forensics, included 2,000 respondents who confessed to risky behaviors when driving.
In the survey, there were four factors that contributed to drivers behaving dangerously: being a distracted driver, driving aggressively, driving under the influence and rushing. For rushed driving, the behaviors include driving at excessive speeds, changing lanes in an unsafe manner and failing to stop at traffic signals. According to 48 percent, perception was a key factor as they did not want to put forth a bad impression. 30 percent said they were impatient in general. 21 percent said they were reluctant to lose out on opportunities. 1 percent said they just liked the risky behavior. One-third did not have a reason.
Distracted driving is often perceived as cellphone use, but it can also include other behaviors. More than 50 percent said they did not believe it to be risky. 36 percent stated that they did it briefly when behind the wheel. 22 percent said the distracting behavior was urgent. 22 percent confessed to exhibiting bad judgment. And 20 percent said they could safely multitask. For people who commit DUI, 20 percent said they had no other way to get to where they were going; 29 percent stated they felt they could do so safely; 32 percent admitted it was poor judgment; and four in 10 said it was due to convenience. Females were more regretful about it. Males believed they could commit these acts and do so without significant danger.
People who have been in a car crash can face a litany of problems when they are injured or lose a loved one. Given the cost of medical care, lost time at work, the inability to function normally and other problems, the long-term damage can be exponential. People driving in a dangerous manner is a frequent cause for car accidents and this survey adds to the concern that safe drivers should have about car accidents.
