2003 `Nerves of Steel' Survey Shows Motorist Safety Going Downhill and Rudeness Climbing

Results are in: New York City Drivers are the Rudest; Chicago Drivers are Most Dangerous; Charlotte Drivers are Most Polite and Safest; and Denver Drivers the Sleepiest

PITTSBURGH, May 21 -- America's motorists are becoming more dangerous and increasingly rude, according to the fifth annual "Nerves of Steel" aggressive driving survey conducted by TheSteelAlliance. An increase from 2002, 65 percent consider talking on the cell phone without a headset dangerous; and ironically, 37 percent still admitted to doing it in the month prior to the survey. The "Nerves of Steel" survey also revealed that an alarming 36 percent of motorists have fallen asleep behind the wheel while driving, finding men are two-thirds more likely to doze off than women.

While drivers nationwide admit they are not the safest or the most polite motorists, most agree that steel provides the best line of defense in an automobile accident. When asked to select the automotive material that provides the best protection, 91 percent of those surveyed selected steel, with materials such as fiberglass and plastic trailing far behind.

"This year's survey confirms steel is the must-have material when it comes to automotive safety," said Bill Heenan, president, TheSteelAlliance. "The high-pitched screech of brakes, the blur of an out-of-control car and the sound of shattering glass - during a car accident, the steel frame is often a motorist's last line of defense. Each year the steel industry conducts the `Nerves of Steel' survey to steer drivers in the right direction when it comes to road safety."

The "Nerves of Survey" survey ranks drivers in three categories: rudeness, safety and drowsy driving behavior.

Road Rudeness Climbs - New York City Comes in First

Nine out of ten drivers nationwide said tailgating, making rude gestures, and passing on the side of the road are the most widely considered acts of aggressive driving. The survey reveals New York City drivers are three times as likely to "flip-the-bird" versus the national average. Miami, the 2002 rudeness title winner, earns an F, however falls short behind New York City's top ranking, and both Dallas and Los Angeles earned a D. While the national sample scored high, the individual markets ranged from grades A to F. Following are the rudeness grades for the 2003 survey, based on the percentage of drivers who feel that drivers in their city are ruder than drivers in other cities:

                The 2003 "Nerves of Steel" Rudeness Grades

  1. New York City F 6. Philadelphia D   11. Wash., DC C     16. Chicago B
  2. Miami F         7. San Francisco C  12. Phoenix B       17. Seattle B
  3. Boston F        8. Houston C        13. Tampa B       18. Cleveland A
  4. Dallas D        9. Detroit C        14. Denver B  19. Minn-St. Paul A
  5. Los Angeles D  10. Salt Lake City C 15. Atlanta B     20. Charlotte A

  Driver Safety is a Curvy Road - Chicago Veers and Charlotte Steers

For the third year in a row, driving defensively (49%) and driving courteously (25%) are the best advice drivers gave for protection against acts of aggression. Charlotte drivers make a memorable debut by capturing two titles from Seattle, the 2002 city with the safest and most polite drivers. The "Nerves of Steel" Safety Grade provides a ranking for each city surveyed, ranging from A to F, and the national sample achieved an A grade. Comparing the drivers across the U.S. by assessing the percentage of aggressive driving acts that have been committed in the month prior to the survey, the grades for the 2003 survey are:

                 The 2003 "Nerves of Steel" Safety Grades

  1. Charlotte A     6. Cleveland C     11. Dallas D         16. Tampa D
  2. Minn-St. Paul A 7. Wash., DC C     12. Salt Lake City D 17. Atlanta D
  3. Denver B       8. Detroit C     13. Los Angeles D  18. New York City F
  4. Phoenix B       9. Philadelphia C  14. Houston D        19. Boston F
  5. Seattle B      10. San Francisco C 15. Miami D          20. Chicago F

  Battle of the Sexes Behind the Wheel

The survey polled an equal number of male and female drivers in each city. Men are more likely than women to admit they committed an act of aggressive driving. For example, 67 percent of men and 44 percent of women said they have driven 10 miles per hour or more over the speed limit in the month prior to the survey. When it comes to multi-tasking behind the wheel, the survey reveals that women are three times more likely than men to "put on makeup, shave or comb hair" while driving.

"While great strides have been made among drivers to improve safety and rudeness on the nation's highways, we must remember that all drivers can contribute to even greater improvements in driver safety," said Heenan. "We all need to slow down, be more courteous and refrain from other distractions while driving. It's also very important to remember to avoid getting behind the wheel when you are feeling drowsy or fatigued."

Drowsy Driving is Common in Seattle and Denver

For the first time, the "Nerves of Steel" survey inquired about drowsy driving, revealing cities in the west are snoozing more frequently. Seattle drivers rank as the country's drowsiest - 86 percent said they sometimes feel drowsy while driving, compared with 76 percent of drivers nationwide. Denver ranks as the sleepiest city as a shocking 45 percent of Denver motorists admitted to falling asleep, at least once, behind the wheel, which was well above the national average of 36 percent.

Pledge to Drive Safely

In an effort to make our roads safer and more polite, TheSteelAlliance encourages motorists to log on to www.TheNewSteel.com/nos to sign a pledge to drive safely. Upon signing the pledge, motorists will automatically be entered into a sweepstakes to win one of 25 sets of Continental(TM) steel- belted radial tires. The sweepstakes begins May 15, 2003 and ends on July 11, 2003.

Survey Methodology

Global Strategy Group conducted the "Nerves of Steel" survey by telephone in the spring of 2003 among drivers across the nation. This year's survey rates 20 cities, 10 more than in previous years. Due to the expanded scope of the study, the grading scale has been adjusted to ensure a more balanced distribution of grades for safety and rudeness. The new scale provides a more diversified range of grades showing more clearly how cities throughout the country rate against one another.

A total of 2,400 participants with valid driver's licenses were asked a series of questions about driving habits, including their own actions while on the road. The questions highlighted issues of safety, aggressiveness, rudeness and drowsy driving.

About TheSteelAlliance

TheSteelAlliance is a coalition of more than 110 producers and affiliated organizations that came together for the first time in 1997 to launch a nationwide consumer campaign about the benefits of steel. Visit www.TheNewSteel.com/nos for more information about the 2003 "Nerves of Steel" survey.