New AAA Study Highlights Prevalence of Street Racing and Safety Concerns
Nearly three-quarters of U.S. drivers reported seeing street racing over the past year, according to a new survey from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAA FTS). The study, which included more than 3,000 drivers nationwide, highlights the prevalence of dangerous behaviors such as weaving through traffic, drag racing, and street takeovers, along with rising public concern about their impact on community safety.
Key Findings from the AAA Study
- Weaving Through Traffic Most Common: About 31% of all respondents reported regularly or fairly often noticing drivers weaving through traffic. In urban areas, this figure rises to 37%, and 65% of drivers in the Northeast reported observing it at least once in the past year.
- Street Takeovers and Drag Racing Less Frequent: Nationally, 9% of respondents saw street takeovers regularly or fairly often, and 12% reported the same for drag racing. In the Northeast, 28% had witnessed a street takeover, and 35% had observed drag racing at least once in the prior year.
- Public Concern Is Increasing: Nearly half of Northeast respondents said street racing on public roads is a concern in their state, and more than a third indicated that street racing is a bigger problem now than in recent years.
- Urban vs. Rural Trends: Urban drivers reported greater exposure and concern, while rural drivers indicated slightly higher participation but lower levels of worry. Across all areas, direct involvement in racing was uncommon, with only about 4% of respondents reporting having driven in a street racing event
Street racing is defined broadly in the study to include drag racing, street takeovers (also known as sideshows or exhibition driving), and weaving through traffic at high speeds or making challenging maneuvers while racing another vehicle. Such activities not only endanger participants but also pedestrians, other drivers, and emergency responders
More about AAA Northeast
AAA Northeast, a not-for-profit auto club serving more than 6.9 million members across Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and New York, provides travel, insurance, financial, and auto-related services. The organization’s survey underscores ongoing safety concerns relevant to communities throughout New England
A copy of the study is available on the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety website as well as below:
