Driving Safety Myths That American Motorists Still Believe

Research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that hands-free calls still divert significant mental attention from the road. The brain cannot fully process a phone conversation and driving simultaneously — it switches rapidly between tasks rather than multitasking. This cognitive load slows reaction time and narrows the driver's field of attention, even with both hands on the wheel. Legislation targeting only handheld use addresses one part of the problem while leaving the deeper distraction largely in place.

The 10-and-2 recommendation predates modern airbags. When an airbag deploys, hands positioned high on the wheel can be driven back into the driver's face or neck with serious force. The 9-and-3 position keeps hands lower and away from the airbag deployment path, while still giving good steering control. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and many driving safety programs updated their guidance years ago, but the old advice lives on in informal instruction and outdated materials.

Speed limits are set based on road design, sight lines, and crash physics — not on what the majority of drivers happen to be doing at a given moment. Higher speeds mean longer stopping distances and greater collision forces. The logic that "flow of traffic" makes speeding safe is a rationalization, not a safety principle. NHTSA data consistently links excessive speed to a significant share of fatal crashes each year. Matching unsafe behavior does not make that behavior safe.

Studies published by the AAA Foundation and sleep researchers have shown that 20 hours without sleep produces impairment roughly equivalent to a 0.08% blood alcohol concentration — the legal limit in all U.S. states. Opening a window or turning up the radio addresses the feeling of sleepiness momentarily but does not restore cognitive function. The only effective countermeasures are sleep or a short nap. If you're too fatigued to drive, pulling off and resting is the only genuinely safe option.

All four wheels drive the vehicle forward in 4WD mode, which helps with getting moving or maintaining momentum in snow. But stopping distance is determined by tire-to-road friction and braking system performance — which are unchanged by drivetrain configuration. Drivers of 4WD trucks and SUVs sometimes follow too closely or drive too fast for conditions, incorrectly confident their vehicle can stop faster. On ice, a heavy SUV in 4WD can take longer to stop than a lighter car on quality winter tires.

Every vehicle has multiple blind zones — areas where mirrors and standard sight lines provide no direct view. At low urban speeds, cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists can easily sit in a blind spot. Backing out of a parking space or navigating a right turn at a city corner both require active blind spot checks. Overconfidence about mirror coverage is a contributing factor in many low-speed collisions and pedestrian incidents. Physically checking over your shoulder remains a non-negotiable habit regardless of speed or road type.