Most Americans seem to think they’re the only good drivers on the road, according to a new survey from Allstate Insurance.
Despite admitting to unsafe habits such as speeding and text-messaging behind the wheel that are frowned on by authorities and auto insurance companies alike, a majority of motorists consider themselves far more capable than those around them.
About 64 percent rated themselves as “excellent” or “very good” at driving, but only 29 percent rated their friends as highly. And a mere one in five respondents thought other drivers their age were in their league.
Perhaps not surprisingly, men were far more likely to think of themselves as excellent drivers than were women. About one-third of males gave themselves that distinction, as compared to only 26 percent of females.
Respondents were also split along political lines, with 70 percent of Republicans considering themselves aces in the driver’s seat, compared to 61 percent for both Democrats and independent voters.
Almost everyone, however, shared low opinions of particular groups:
--81 percent rated teenage drivers as “average” or “poor.”
--70 percent gave senior citizens low scores.
--Only 26 percent thought highly of the driving ability of parents with very young children.
Motorists were far more willing to give themselves the benefit of the doubt, despite admitting to some serious infractions:
--45 percent said they had driven despite being so tired they nearly fell asleep.
--15 percent admitted to driving while intoxicated, with men almost four times as likely as women to have done so.
--34 percent said they have text-messaged or emailed while driving.
--89 percent said they’ve driven faster than the posted speed limit, and 40 percent said they had exceeded the limit by more than 20 mph.
Research has shown the dangers of all of those driving habits. In 2009 alone, speeding was a contributing factor in 31 percent of all fatal crashes, with 10,591 lives were lost in speeding-related crashes that year.
Source: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811397.pdf
The survey of 1,000 adults was conducted by phone in July and has a margin of effort of plus or minus 3.1 percent. It was conducted for the insurance company by Financial Dynamics.
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