Motoring issues: how motorists feel

More than 2,000 AAA members responded to the poll 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 of Missouri, eastern Kansas, southern Illinois and southern Indiana who responded to the poll.

Members feelings on the issues were:

BONDS

Bond issues are being considered by more and more transportation agencies to speed improvements to highways and transportation facilities. Motorists’ attitudes toward bonding is favorable only if there is no additional taxes.

Bond issue for highway improvements without a tax increase:

• Yes 87%
• No 13

Bond issue for highway improvements with an increase in taxes:

• Yes 30%
• No 70

DRIVER LICENSING

Motorists are inclined to favor only minimal retesting requirements when renewing their drivers’ licenses.

Support for type of retesting at license renewal time:

• No test at renewal 11%
• Eye test only 47
• Written test only 1
• Eye and written tests 14
• Eye, written and road tests 27

And testing ALL drivers and not just those over a certain age is overwhelmingly supported.

• All drivers 78%
• Drivers over a certain age 22

Of the minority that favor testing only drivers over a certain
age, that age is:

• 50 years and over 7%
• 60 years and over 27
• 70 years and over 46
• 80 years and over 20

ENVIRONMENT

Motorists are beginning to understand that cars and light trucks are not the major source of harmful emissions that affect our air quality, as they correctly ranked stationary sources as the source of most emissions.

Major emission sources:

• 1st Stationary Sources: (large and small industries, power generating plants, commercial establishments, households)
  
• 2nd Large trucks, buses and motorcycles
• 3rd Off-road mobile sources (airplanes, lawn and garden equipment, boats, locomotives, construction equipment)
• 4th Cars and light trucks

HIGHWAY CONDITIONS

Asked to compare the conditions of state highways now to three years ago, motorists say:

• Improved 27%
• Same 56
• Worsened 17

Current assessment of state highways were:

• Excellent 2%
• Good 47
• Fair 40
• Poor 11

HIGHWAY PRIORITIES

"Four-laning of existing two-laned roads" and "eliminating commuter bottlenecks" tied as the No. 1 priority of motorists, as 27 percent of respondents listed each as their top highway improvement. Respondents’ priorities were:

• Four-laning of existing two-laned roads 27%
• Eliminating commuter bottlenecks 27
• Resurfacing existing four-laned roads 020
• Increased use of road safety features 020
• Widening of secondary road bridges 06

SAFETY CONCERNS

While "aggressive drivers" was the main safety concern of motorists, followed by large trucks as one in four motorists cited them as their main safety concern.

No. 1 safety concern

• Aggressive drivers 38%
• Large trucks 28
• Drunk drivers 24
• Road conditions 10