Braking The Rules Of The Road
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One in ten drivers in Oklahoma admit to breaking more road rules than usual during lockdown, survey reveals.
• Respondents say tailgating and not indicating before pulling out are the main reasons they get road rage.
• Over half of respondents say lockdown has shown the need to rethink the way roads are used.
With fewer cars on the road, less traffic and an abundance of lane space available to use, one would assume road users are exercising better driving habits.
However, since the start of lockdown, the US has faced a surge in speeding and reckless behavior on its roadways, leading to a disproportionate number of accidents and fatalities when compared to the number of drivers.
There have been reports of drivers across the nation traveling more than 100 miles per hour, drag racing and chasing speed records and consequently, police officers issuing an increased number of speeding tickets.
Car dealership, Gunther Volkswagen, surveyed 2,000 Americans on their lockdown driving habits and made some surprising discoveries.
Gunther Volkswagen’s survey revealed that one in ten (13%) Oklahomans admit to having broken more road rules than usual during lockdown! This is the same as the national average of 13%.
Sharing a road with drivers who break rules, even if they are minor, is incredibly concerning for the safety and wellbeing of other drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike.
Over a quarter (27%) of respondents say tailgating and pulling out without indication (also 27%) are the main causes for their road rage. These were followed by drivers using cellphones (26%), cutting in a queue of traffic (10%) and blocking the outside lane (10%).
Although incredibly detrimental to people’s health and finances, the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent enforced lockdowns have resulted in less traffic and cleaner air – 54% of Americans surveyed believe that the lockdowns have presented a good opportunity to relook at the way we use our roads on a daily basis, such as the need to install more bike lanes and reserving more space for pedestrians.
Since the enforced lockdown, there have been fewer accidents due to a decrease in the number of regular drivers on the road. Considering the financial difficulty many are facing, it is no wonder that 82% of respondents believe insurance companies should issue rebates to their customers or lower premiums.
‘If you see an empty road ahead of you while driving home from the store, it can be tempting to ignore stop signs and traffic lights,’ says Joe Gunther from Gunther Volkswagen.
‘But accidents are aptly named because you cannot predict them. While you may think there is no one else on the road, vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians can come out of nowhere. If you or they are ignoring rules of the road, it could be a terrible incident waiting to happen.’