Aggressive Driving and Safety Campaigns: Lessons Learned from the Better Driver Campaign in Florida

Presented By: Meeta SaxenaCenter for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR)University Of South Florida (USF)

OUTLINE Project Team Purpose Why Aggressive Driving What is Aggressive Driving Overview of the Better Driver Campaign Findings and Conclusions

PROJECT TEAM The Florida Department of Transportation District 7 funded

the Better Driver Campaign.

Ms. Jeanette Rouse, FDOT District 7 Mr. Peter Hsu, FDOT District 7 Mr. David Skrelunas, FDOT District 7 Ms. Kris Carson , FDOT District 7 Capt. Troy Thomson, FDOT Motor Carrier Compliance Office Lt. Buchanan Folsom, FDOT Motor Carrier Compliance Office Dr. Pei-sung Lin, CUTR University of South Florida Dr. Chanyoung Lee, CUTR University of South Florida Ms. Saxena Meeta, CUTR University of South Florida Mr. Enrique Gonzalez-Velez. CUTR University of South Florida

PURPOSE The Better Driver Campaign was started to

help truck and passenger car drivers to understand and deal with the hazards of aggressive driving.

The Better Driver Campaign was launched by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 7 and the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF)

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING

A study by AAA showed that 56 percent of fatal crashes from 2003 through 2007 involved one or more driver actions typically associated with aggressive driving.

Incidents of aggressive driving have increased by 7 percent every year since 1990.

“AGGRESSIVE DRIVING” DEFINITIONS

NCHRP: “Operating a motor vehicle in a selfish, pushy, or impatient manner, often unsafely, that directly affects other drivers.” 

NHTSA: “Driving actions that markedly exceed the norms of safe driving behavior and that directly affect other road users by placing them in unnecessary danger,” or (from a law enforcement perspective) “When individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.”

AAA: “Any unsafe driving behavior that is performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for safety”

FLORIDA STATUTE 316.1923 Florida Statute 316.1923 describes "aggressive careless

driving“ as committing two or more of the following acts simultaneously or in succession: (1)  Exceeding the posted speed (2)  Unsafely or improperly changing lanes (3)  Following another vehicle too closely (4)  Failing to yield the right-of-way (5)  Improperly passing (6)  Violating traffic control and signal devices

“Improper Lane Change” and “Improper Passing” have increased an annual average rate of 7.6 % and 5.6 % respectively for passenger cars and 10.6 % and 12.0 % respectively for large trucks since 2003.

Non-criminal moving violations associated with aggressive driving increased at the average rate of 5.8 % per year.

CONTRIBUTING CAUSES FOR ALL CRASHES INVOLVING TRUCKS IN FLORIDA (2003-2006)

CONTRIBUTING CAUSES FOR ALL CRASHES INVOLVING CARS IN FLORIDA (2003-2006)

SELECTION OF THE CAMPAIGN THEME

Campaign Slogan

Three Key Messages for the Campaign

February 09 March 09 April 09 May 09 June 09 July 09

MeetingDevelopment of Campaign Content

Selection of Slogan for the Campaign

The Better Driver Campaign

Development of Website, Billboards and Outreach materials

TIMELINE OF THE CAMPAIGN

TARGETED ROADWAY SEGMENT ON I-75

PRESS RELEASE

BILLBOARDS

WEBSITE (WWW.BETTERDRIVER.ORG)

Promotional Items for the Better Driver Campaign

REST AREA OUTREACH

DRIVER SURVEY – TWO WAY COMMUNICATION

A total of 438 drivers participated in the survey 8 % of the surveys were collected in the “before campaign”, 63 % in

the “during campaign,” and 29 % in the “after campaign” time periods.

The demographics of the respondents showed that 34 % of drivers surveyed were females and 66 % were males.

Survey during the Better Driver Campaign

Before Survey

After Survey

PERCENT WHO HAD HEARD OF SAFETY PROGRAM CAMPAIGN(S) (BEFORE CAMPAIGN)

66%

34%

Truck Driver

Yes

No

41%

59%

Passenger Car Driver

Yes

No

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING BEHAVIOR Respondents in the survey were asked to

select all driving behaviors they would consider as “aggressive driving.”

PERCEPTION OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING BEHAVIOR IN LOS ANGELES, TAMPA BAY, AND U.S.

PERCEPTION OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING BEHAVIOR FOR PASSENGER CAR AND TRUCK DRIVERS IN TAMPA AREA

Tailgati

ng

Passin

g on sh

oulder

Failin

g to y

ield to

mer

ging tr

affic

Mak

ing o

bscen

e ges

ture

s

Changin

g lanes

with

out sig

naling

Wait

ing u

ntil th

e las

t min

ute to

mer

ge (Not w

aitin

g in li

ne)

Speedin

g up to

yell

ow light

Block

ing th

e lef

t (pas

sing) l

ane

Flashin

g hig

h bea

ms a

t oth

er d

river

s

Honking th

e horn

Going at

leas

t 10m

ph over

the s

peed li

mit

Drivin

g too sl

owly (A

t lea

st 10 m

ph belo

w the s

peed li

mit)

Pulling in

to p

arkin

g spac

es an

d mak

ing o

ther

s wait

for y

ou

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Truck Driver Passenger Car Driver

WHAT IS THE DRIVING MANEUVER BY OTHER DRIVERS THAT MOST UPSETS YOU?

WHAT DRIVERS THINK VS. WHAT DRIVERS DOThe Florida Driver License Handbook contains information regarding recommended following distances for both truck and passenger car drivers. The handbook suggests that motorists driving passenger vehicles maintain at least 2-3 seconds and large semi trucks keep at least 4-6 seconds of following distance from the vehicle ahead of them.

MEASURE OF EFFECTIVENESS (MOE)

HOW OFTEN DO YOU ENCOUNTER AGGRESSIVE DRIVING IN FLORIDA?

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING RESULTS IN APPROXIMATELY _____ % OF FATALITIES.

MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO ADDRESS AGGRESSIVE DRIVING

KEY FINDINGS “Cutting off” was identified as the most upsetting

maneuver by truck drivers and “tailgating” was reported as most upsetting maneuver by passenger car drivers. Additionally “distracted driving (using a cell phone)” was the most common upsetting maneuver for both drivers.

Drivers are becoming insensitive to speeding as only 15% of truck drivers and 23% of passenger car drivers considered speeding to be aggressive.

The occurrence of aggressive driving does not seem to differ with respect to gender, age and driving experience and appears to be commonly found in drivers, as indicated by the survey results.

According to the after survey, the number of truck drivers who stated that they encounter other aggressive drivers daily was reduced by 30% after this campaign.

Conclusions The Better Driver Campaign provided drivers

with safety tips on how to avoid being an aggressive driver and how to deal with other aggressive drivers.

Surveys were effectively used to measure the exposure, knowledge, and self-reported behavior of drivers with respect to aggressive driving.

Overall, it seemed that traffic does not show statistically significant changes due to the campaign as tested by the headways measured before and after the campaign to see if there was any change due to the campaign.

Conclusions – cont’ Campaign was successful in bringing behavioral

change by providing information about aggressive driving. About 57% of truck drivers and 58% of passenger car drivers strongly agreed, and 43% of truck drivers and 32% of passenger car drivers agreed that they were ready to give up aggressive driving after exposure to this campaign.

The after survey showed that the knowledge and awareness of aggressive driving among drivers increased due to the campaign.

The campaign was very effective in bringing out specific attitudes of truck drivers and passenger car drivers towards aggressive driving.

Thanks!