Most drivers recognize that texting, scrolling through social media, ignoring traffic signals and aggressive driving are dangerous, but many still admit to engaging in these behaviors.
According to the AAA Foundation's 2025 Traffic Safety Culture Index, 28% of drivers admit to texting while driving, and nearly 40% said they have read their messages while behind the wheel. Drowsy driving also remains common, even though nearly all drivers consider it dangerous. The AAA Foundation's findings highlight the gap between awareness and behavior.
Traffic violations continue to reflect these risky habits. MarketWatch reports that speeding is one of the most common traffic offenses and remains a leading factor in crashes. Tickets for reckless driving, distracted driving and failing to obey traffic signals increase both crash risk and insurance costs, and drivers with violations often pay higher premiums because insurers view them as more likely to file future claims.
A recent Yahoo Finance report also points to a broader trend of drivers ignoring traffic signs and other roadway rules. Failing to follow basic traffic controls increases the likelihood of collisions and costly insurance claims.
In the slideshow above, we feature the ten states where drivers are most likely to ignore traffic signs, according to Yahoo Finance. These rankings are based on the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes where traffic-sign violations were a contributing factor, the overall number of drivers involved in fatal crashes, traffic sign-related ticket searches and the number of licensed drivers in the state.
(Photo credit: Michael Marciano/ALM)
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