TOWSON, MD (February 27, 2019) –– Americans spend an additional 20 minutes driving each week compared to 2014, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In fact, over the course of the year, Americans collectively spent 70 billion hours behind the wheel - an eight percent increase since 2014.

According to the AAA Foundation survey, which analyzed a number of demographics, drivers in the Northeast saw the greatest percentage increase in time behind the wheel - an average of more than 50 minutes a day – which is up more than 17 percent since 2014. Drivers in the Southern Region, which includes Maryland, experienced a nominal percentage uptick in time behind the wheel, three percent, since 2014.

“The more time drivers spend behind the wheel, the greater their exposure to risks on the roadway,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Longer time behind the wheel could lead to issues such as fatigue, distraction, and impatience for drivers, which are all contributing factors for vehicle crashes.

AAA Mid-Atlantic is reminding drivers to stay alert and stay focused on the key task at hand – driving – in an effort to ensure everyone’s safety and minimize risks.

More Seniors Maintaining their Independence

The AAA Survey also found that drivers age 75 and older increased their driving time by a greater percentage than any other age group – spending almost 35 minutes a day behind the wheel - up almost 23 percent over 2014.

“This mirrors what we are seeing locally, where our enrollment in online senior driving courses in Maryland is up,” says Kurt Gray, Director of Driver Services at AAA Mid-Atlantic. The Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Traffic Safety has also seen increased interest in the CarFit program and other traffic safety offerings for our older drivers.

AAA Foundation Survey Summary

The AAA Foundation’s American Driving Survey shows that on average, U.S. drivers spend nearly an hour behind the wheel each day and travel 31.5 miles- a five percent increase from 2014.

Each week, drivers travel more than 220 miles. Add it up and Americans drive an average of 11,498 miles each year – roughly the equivalent of making two roundtrip drives from Baltimore to San Francisco.

Other survey findings show that:

Demographics

• Men spend 19 percent more time behind the wheel and drive 27 percent more miles than women.
• People who are married or living with a partner spend at least 12 percent more time driving than those who are not.

Region

• Drivers in the West spend the most time driving (58.9 minutes per day), followed by drivers in the Northeast (51.1 minutes), South-including Maryland (49.9 minutes) and Midwest (44.5 minutes) regions.
• The number of individuals who report driving in the Midwest region dropped three percent, while the number of drivers in the Northeast, South and Western regions increased or remained the same.

The new results are part of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s American Driving Survey, which reveals the driving habits of the American public. The survey data are from a representative sample of 11,804 drivers who provided information about their driving on randomly selected days between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2017.

About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a nonprofit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research is used to develop educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. Visit AAAFoundation.org.

For more information about AAA Driver Services programs and offerings, visit AAA.com/DriverServices and to learn more about AAA Senior Driving solutions, please visit AAA.com/SeniorDriving.   

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to over 59 million members nationwide and more than 982,000 members in Maryland.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit AAA.com.