Shasta County’s drivers cause aggravation but others in state are worse
You know the type. You see them weaving in and out of traffic, gunning the accelerator to get a few feet off your bumper when you're driving the speed limit, trimming their beards or putting on mascara, texting away. They seem not to know that little lever on the left side of the steering wheel enables them to warn motorists when they are turning left or right.
But why are the drivers in the
Here's an answer that will either frighten or reassure you: Local drivers are actually better than most Americans on the road. At least, that's what the statistics say.
According to the
And
For the record,
But being better than the worst is a lot different from being perfect, or even good.
His impression is that "we're tied in a close second to everybody else," when it comes to bad drivers. "It never seems to end wherever you go."
But there's one thing that sticks out for him.
"They are in a hurry (here) and they all have to be first," he said.
Of course, people have always talked about bad driving. But social networking sites, YouTube and the Internet have elevated the art of complaining and shaming.
One website, colorfully named "California Drivers Suck," hosts the often-obscene rants of people who are fed up about bad driving and need to say so.
"It's a war zone out there," one commenter wrote on the website. It's one of the few comments that can be printed in the newspaper.
"I have driven in all the states, except
Locally,
The group, which has nearly 100 members, is starting to catch on as more people learn of it, he said.
Hicks, 48, has lived in
And, he says, he sees bad drivers everywhere he goes.
"
But
One thing's for sure:
That ranking is based on, among other factors, population, city density and weather conditions, the report states.
But at least one member of Redding Bad Drivers has a word of encouragement for
"I am just happy the people here aren't as bad as
Hicks, who is also an avid bicyclist, is hoping his Facebook group becomes self-sustainable, with people adding their own stories, but he often includes items he finds engaging, such as a video lampooning -- in song -- drivers who don't use their traffic signal indicators: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcI9klgrYoU.
Risky drivers aren't ignorant, according to a recent traffic safety report conducted by the
That survey found that a majority of drivers regularly speed, run red lights and use devices that distract them or drive drowsy, even though they know the dangers.
According to that study, more than a third of those drivers admitted running red lights, although 55 percent admitted that's dangerous.
More than a quarter -- 27 percent -- of the drivers acknowledged they had sent a text or email while driving, yet 79 percent of them admitted that behavior is a very serious safety threat and 84 percent said it is completely unacceptable.
"It is very disappointing that we continue to see a prevailing attitude of 'do as I say, not as I do,' where large numbers of motorists seem to recognize the risks of certain behaviors, but do them anyway," said
But, she admits, that's a steep, uphill climb.
And she notes that cars and trucks being built these days are filled with potential distractions -- everything from global positioning systems to voice-control audio and hands-free mobile phone systems -- that might divert a driver's attention from the road ahead for even just a few seconds.
No matter how fun and useful those high-tech gizmos are, she said, drivers can't let them control their attention.
"When you are in the car, you need to drive," she said.
So what is the pocketbook impact of living in an area where -- statistically at least -- the drivers are better than average?
While it's clear that racking up a bad personal driving record can increase the amount you pay for car insurance,
"There are so many factors that come into play" when determining the price of auto insurance, she said.
Where you live is just one of them. Others include how much you drive, how old you are, your vehicle and wether you're male or female.
The good news? Those living in more rural areas, such as
___
(c)2015 the Redding Record Searchlight (Redding, Calif.)
Visit the Redding Record Searchlight (Redding, Calif.) at www.redding.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Intrepid incentive plan gears employees away from CMC
Thousand Oaks homeowner has sticker shock over wastewater repairs
Advisor News
Annuity News
Health/Employee Benefits News
Life Insurance News