California drivers admit to dangerous practice behind the wheel as ‘routine’

California drivers regularly put themselves at risk behind the wheel, refusing to follow one of the most standard rules of the road, according to a new study.

Most California drivers refuse to follow speed limits despite understanding the importance of them and considers driving 10 mph over the limit as normal, according to a new study by AAA.

The study reveals that one in three drivers “admit to ignoring speed limits because they believe no one follows them” and that “35% classify themselves as ‘sometimes’ speeders, compared to 30% nationwide.”

Drivers in the study also believe that speeding saves time as 28% of them deem it necessary to get around slow drivers, 24% to avoid holding up traffic, and 24% to reach their destinations faster.

“The speed limit is there for everyone to get home safely. We’re calling on every motorist to choose to drive the speed limit. It’s a life saving decision that provides the space and time needed to react to the unexpected,” the Chief Automotive Officer of AAA Mountain West Group said in response to the report.

While a good chunk of Californians like to speed, drivers in the study expressed strong support for safety speed measures. 85% of drivers support an increase in police presence in areas with a high history of speed-related crashes while 54% support “advisory Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) like dashboard alerts when exceeding limits.”

However, only 22% support technology that can restrict speed without a driver overriding it. Also, only 40% are in favor of speed bumps in their neighborhoods.

4,061 people died from fatal car accidents in the Golden State in 2023 while NHTSA estimates that 3,807 died in 2024.

A study conducted by M&Y Personal Injury Lawyers also found that the Interstate 5 was the deadliest highway for weekend drivers in the whole country based on a five-year analysis of NHTSA data.

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