AAA of Michigan has launched a new summer campaign to get people to drive more cautiously.
AAA Spokesperson Adrienne Woodland tells us the “Crashes Hit Different When They Happen to You” campaign seeks to highlight the four driver behaviors that cause the most crashes. Number one is speeding.
“Speeding not only decreases reaction time, but it dramatically increases the severity of crashes,” Woodland said. “In 2023, speeding contributed to 29% of all traffic fatalities.”
Second place goes to distracted driving, with Woodland noting people who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash. Number three is impaired driving, which poses obvious dangers to drivers and pedestrians, while Woodland says fourth is lack of seatbelt use.
“On average, every 47 minutes, someone not wearing a seatbelt dies in a car crash. In 2022, nearly 60% of backseat passengers killed in crashes were unbuckled.”
And seatbelt use has been trending down.
In addition to the four behaviors, the new campaign explores personal stories and community partnerships to emphasize the devastating effects of crashes and the power of choice.
Woodland says AAA will be spreading the “Crashes Hit Different” message all summer.
