Are Drivers Naughty or Nice?

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Will you be Naughty or Nice behind the wheel this holiday season? State Farm and KRC Research conducted an online survey of 1,000 U.S drivers over 18 years old and learned there's room for improvement. According to the survey nearly two out of three (64 percent) U.S. drivers have experienced an act of aggressive driving six times or more in the past three months from another driver.

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With a large number of drivers affected by aggressive driving already, the new survey revealed nearly a third of drivers say their likelihood to engage in aggressive driving increases during the winter holidays.

Survey Key Findings

• Forty-four percent of drivers reported that they have engaged in aggressive driving behaviors in the past three months.
• 32 percent of younger drivers (ages 18-29), 28 percent of middle aged drivers (ages 30-49) and parents (30 percent) were significantly more likely to report being provoked or engage in aggressive driving around the major winter holidays compared to only 9 percent of older drivers (ages 50 and older) and non-parents (15 percent).
• About half of survey respondents perceive men and women to be equally courteous when driving. When it comes to aggressive driving, however, the majority (54 percent) of drivers cite men as the most likely culprits of aggressive driving, compared to only one in 10 who said that women are more likely. The remaining 37 percent of drivers reported men and women to be equally likely to engage in aggressive driving.
• Top situations most likely to make drivers respond aggressively were traffic jams (63 percent), running late (55 percent) and road closures or construction (47 percent). 

"These findings reinforce how important it is to keep safety top of mind when driving every day, but especially during heavy travel times like the winter holidays," says Chris Mullen, Director of Technology Research at State Farm. "Both negative and positive emotions can affect the way drivers behave and it's vital to be aware of your state of mind and continually refocus your attention on the road and practicing safe driving behaviors."

What is Considered Naughty Driving?
Naughty - or aggressive - driving can include speeding or driving too fast for conditions, improper lane changing or passing, and tailgating according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

How to be Nice on the Road
Whether drivers are guilty of aggressive driving or have been on the receiving end of it, State Farm encourages drivers to be nicer during the holiday season by taking control when they can:

• Control your behavior on the road. Running traffic signals is one of the most common causes of a car crash in metropolitan areas (U.S. DOT Federal Highway Administration) and speeding or driving too fast for conditions accounts for about one-third of all fatal car crashes in America (Governors Highway Safety Association).
• Control your emotions. Recognize it's not personal and it's not a race. It's important to get out of the way of an aggressive driver but also to give drivers the benefit of the doubt. 
• Understand driving conditions before setting out. Plan extra time to get to your destination to account for weather conditions, heavy traffic or parking lot congestion. If available, use public transportation when expecting inclement weather or heavy traffic times.

For additional information and tips to keep you and your family safe on the road this holiday season, visit http://st8.fm/fx2. 

About the Study
The study was an online survey designed and conducted by KRC Research on behalf of State Farm from October 25 to November 3, 2013.  In all, 1,000 drivers among a demographically representative U.S. sample of adults 18 years of age and older were surveyed.  All respondents were required to have a valid U.S. driver's license to participate in the survey.  This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About State Farm®
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit www.statefarm.com or in Canada www.statefarm.ca.

About KRC Research
KRC Research is a full-service research firm that specializes in the kind of research needed for effective communications—communications that reach, engage and persuade. A unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), KRC Research offers the quality and custom service of a small firm along with the reach of a global organization. For over 30 years, KRC Research has worked on behalf of corporations, governments, not-for-profits and the communications firms that represent them. Staffed with market research professionals from the worlds of political campaigns, consumer marketing, journalism and academia, we are flexible, practical, creative, knowledgeable and fast, combining sophisticated research tools with real-world communications experience. For more information, visit www.krcresearch.com

SOURCE State Farm