The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced Monday that it would be looking for motorists’ input on traffic safety and driving behaviors as part of its annual Highway Safety Survey.
The survey, available on PennDOT’s website through August 17, gives motorists a way to anonymously respond to questions about driving behaviors and infrastructure. The responses to the survey give the department more information in determining which behavioral programs to focus on – such as distracted-driving campaigns, seat belt and child-restraint programs, or aggressive-driving enforcement – and what infrastructure improvements to make, like upgrading traffic signals or adding turn lanes.
“Safety is our top priority and we value continued public engagement in making our roadways safer,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “The results from this annual survey help us gauge participants’ attitudes on highway safety, and potentially allow us to adjust our safety activities so we can further reduce crashes and fatalities.”
Last year, the department said, about 10,000 people responded to the survey. Of those, nearly 91 percent said they always wear a seat belt. Another 89 percent said they never drive drunk or impaired. When asked about behaviors that distract them while driving, 38 percent said changing the radio station or adjusting climate controls was a distraction, and 37 percent said they were distracted by things outside of the vehicle. Only 14 percent said they were distracted by a hand-held cell phone.
“Driving is a skill that requires 100 percent of your attention 100 percent of the time, and distractions are everywhere, it’s not just your cell phone,” Gramian said. “Don’t drive distracted.”
The survey is online at the PennDOT website and takes about 5 minutes to complete, officials said.