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Arizona drivers have four major concerns

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AAA Arizona reports that nearly half of the 119,000 traffic accidents in the state in 2008 were caused by four driver safety concerns. These concerns were distracted driving, red light running, tailgating, and speeding.

The Traffic Safety Culture Index emphasizes the public's awareness of safety issues, but the same drivers continue to engage in unsafe driving behavior, according to Linda Gorman, public affairs director for AAA Arizona.

The 2009 Traffic Safety Culture Index indicated the following:

90% of respondents said people driving after drinking alcohol was a serious threat to their safety; 87% said the same about text messaging or e-mailing while driving.

80% of motorists rated distracted driving a very serious threat to their safety, yet a significant proportion of them admitted to talking on a cell phone or texting or e-mailing while driving within the last month.

9 out of 10 people considered running a red light unacceptable, yet 26% of them admitted to running a red light.

9 out of 10 people considered tailgating unacceptable, yet 24% of those same people admitted to tailgating in the past month.

63% considered speeding 15 mph or more on the highway unacceptable, yet 28% of them admitted to doing so in the past month. 95% rated speeding on residential streets unacceptable, yet 21% of them admitted doing it.

Arizona Crash Facts Summary, published by the Motor Vehicle Division on Arizona, shows that in 2008 14,252 drivers were involved in a crash due to driver inattention; 4,130 divers who ignored a traffic signal were involved in a crash; speeding was a factor in 42,669 collisions; and that 4,568 drivers involved in a collision were due to tailgating.

Gorman said, It is AAA Arizona's goal that drivers will realize that their dangerous driving behavior is causing accidents and ultimately change their behavior for the safety of everyone on the road."



Copyright 2009 Ajo Copper News, Ajo, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2009 Ajo Copper News Ajo, Arizona. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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