Poor driving habits
Government and institutional data illustrate the poor driving habits of many in the U.S.:
• Speeding – According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, speeding is a factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, killing an average of 1,000 Americans each month, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports speeding is involved in 37 percent of all young driver deaths.
• Safety Belt Use – Nearly four in five drivers (79 percent) in the U.S. wore their safety belts in 2003, according to NHTSA, yet safety belt use was only 60 percent in vehicle crashes involving fatalities. NHTSA estimates safety belt use by drivers and occupants saved more than 14,000 lives that year.
• Cell Phone Use – While cell phone use as a cause of distracted driving-related accidents is not extensive, NHTSA says drivers in a self-reported study estimated nearly 300,000 crashes from 1998-2002 were the result of cell phone use.
