Poll: U.S. drivers feel less safe on the road

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/07/07....ap/index.html

Nothing really suprising here except for the fact that they say that 30
percent of the people surveyed "had driven through a red light at an
intersection or as the traffic light was changing from yellow to red."
I'm not sure whether the latter clause of the quote means that the
driver crossed the intersection line before or after the light changed.

"Arif Khokar" > wrote in message
...
> http://www.cnn.com/2005/TRAVEL/07/07....ap/index.html
>
> Nothing really suprising here except for the fact that they say that 30
> percent of the people surveyed "had driven through a red light at an
> intersection or as the traffic light was changing from yellow to red." I'm
> not sure whether the latter clause of the quote means that the driver
> crossed the intersection line before or after the light changed.

That is surprising. The way the question is worded, I would think that the
percentage would be much higher than 30%, but then that would ASSUME that
drivers were aware that they were driving through ORANGE lights, AND that
they were honest enough to admit to it.

The following quotes surprised me:

"
a.. Sixty-eight percent said they have driven faster than posted speed
limits. About three-quarters consider it acceptable to drive 5 miles over
the speed limit.


a.. Seventy-nine percent said they always wear seat belts, and 15 percent
said they wear them most of the time."

OK, this clearly demonstrates that those polled weren't answering honestly.
100% of people have driven faster than POSTED speed limits. So right there,
you know that 32% of respondents are liars, plain and simple. But their own
responses prove that many of them are liars. Note that about three-quarters
said it was OK to speed. Sooooooo . . . if they were telling the truth,
then about 7% of respondents CLAIM that while it's OK to speed, they NEVER
have done so, themselves. (that's so outrageously false, it is
hilarious!!!)

Also, I'm wondering where they found these drivers that "always" wear seat
belts. Did they poll drivers ONLY in states where seat belt use is a
primary enforcement issue? I've always lived in states where seat belt use
was a secondary enforcement issue, if it was legally required AT ALL. Even
today, if someone is actually WEARING a seat belt, I notice, as it's so
unusual. Most people do not wear seat belts, so where the heck did they
FIND these drivers that they surveyed? If you believe the study, about 94%
of drivers wear seat belts most of the time (or always). Yet the reality is
almost exactly reversed. Seat belt use is the exception, not the norm.
That is, unless you are in a state where it is a primary enforcement
ssue. -Dave