The Rise in Reckless Driving

Instances of reckless driving and super-speeding are worse than pre-pandemic levels, as millions resume their work commutes and spring brings more pedestrians and cyclists.

Listen 48:57
Traffic on I-95 heads south toward Center City.

Traffic on I-95 heads south toward Center City. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Reckless driving, like super-speeding, zooming through red lights, and riding highway shoulders is on the rise – and incidents of road rage appear to be increasing, too. Vehicle accidents, especially fatal ones, have actually declined over the past several decades, but in the last two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has made things worse again. As so many employees in the U.S. resume their usual commutes to work, and the warmer months bring more pedestrians and cyclists to the streets, what can we do about uncontrollable drivers? We’ll discuss exactly why the pandemic was so bad for traffic safety and talk about how to make roads safer for everyone.

Guests

Nichole Morris, Director of the HumanFIRST Laboratory at the University of Minnesota

Jake Nelson, Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy & Research for AAA

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