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Motoring issues
Poll finds how motorists feel on current issues |
Published Mar/Apr 2006 |
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| More than 3,000 AAA members responded to a poll about traffic safety issues and transportation concerns in the January/February issue of the AAA Midwest Traveler. Both state and federal legislators are being advised by AAA of the opinions expressed by AAA members in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas and Indiana who responded to the poll. GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS Motorists’ attitudes toward governmental regulations all depends on the regulation. In the case of making seat belt use laws primary laws where police officers can stop motorists for not wearing their seat belts, they say: Primary seat belt use law Favor 51% Oppose 49 When it comes to allowing police to use photo radar to take a photograph and mail the ticket to the offender, they say: Photo radar Favor 39% Oppose 61 Yet when it comes to using cameras to photograph a vehicle violating red lights and mailing a ticket to the vehicle owner, they are favorably inclined: Red light cameras Favor 54% Oppose 46 TOLLS Gauging attitudes on various proposals about tolls, the overwhelming response was negative. Of the respondents, • 75% opposed putting tolls on existing toll-free roads; • 79% opposed imposing tolls to reduce traffic on congested roads • 72% opposed using federal and state fuel taxes to construct new toll roads • 74% opposed using gas taxes to guarantee toll road bonds OPERATING COSTS Recently, the price of gasoline was above $3 nationwide, and since then motorists have implemented the following actions to conserve gas: Consolidated trips whenever possible 43% Took fewer/shorter leisure trips 30 Used public transportation more 2 Drove a more fuel-efficient vehicle 10 Shared rides/carpooled 9 Reduced driving by walking/cycling 6 Moved closer to job to shorten commute 1 Compared to last year, 52 percent will be taking fewer leisure trips; 42 percent will be taking the same number and 6 percent indicated that they would be increasing the number of leisure trips. HIGHWAY PROBLEMS/PRIORITIES Compared to three years ago, motorists rate the condition of State highways in their area as: Improved 31% Stayed the same 38 Declined 31 When asked to rate the most important highway improvement from among several choices, they rated as their highest priority the following: Resurfacing existing four-lane roads 29% Four-laning existing two-lane roads 25 Eliminating commuter bottlenecks 23 Adding more safety features 18 Widening secondary road bridges 5 When asked how they would allocate $100 of the highway users fees they pay (registration and fuel taxes) among selected transportation improvements in their area, they answered that they would spend their $100 this way: Maintaining and/or expanding existing roads $59 New Roads 19 Public Transit 15 Bicycle and pedestrian projects 6 Of the five safety concerns from which motorists selected, their No. 1 concern was “distracted drivers.” Their concerns include: Distracted drivers 31% Aggressive drivers 23 Large trucks 21 Drunk drivers 15 Road conditions 10 |
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