A new study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that although 91% of drivers agree that everyone should obey speed limits because it's the law, 30% of drivers speed regularly.The National Survey of Speeding Attitudes and Behavior is the third in a series of NHTSA surveys to yield national estimates of driver behavior and attitudes toward speeding in the U.S. The newest release of information is based on 6,144 phone interviews conducted in 2011.
According to the survey, one in five drivers admitted to trying to get to their destination as fast as possible, and 27% of respondents stated that they enjoy the feeling of driving fast.
Other noteworthy findings of the study include:
- Overall, 30% of respondents were speeders, 40% sometimes speed and 30% never speed.
- Younger drivers reported speeding more than older drivers with 50% of drivers ages 16 to 20 being classified as speeders compared to 15% of drivers age 65 or older.
- Attitudes of predetermination contributed to speeding for a small number of drivers, with 17% agreeing with the statement "If it is your time to die, you'll die, so it doesn't matter whether you speed."
- Over-confident attitudes also contributed to speeding for 16%, who agreed with the statement "Driving over the speed limit is not dangerous for skilled drivers."
- While most respondents felt that obeying speed limits is important, 60% stated that they often get impatient with slower drivers.
Click here for more information and a link to the report.