Labor Day Weekend poses some of the highest risks for drunk driving and drowsy driving accidents, making it one of the top ten most perilous times to drive. Yet a recent AAA survey has concluded that Americans are increasingly unconcerned about these dangers, at any time of the year, leaving researchers to puzzle over why. This conclusion comes at around the same time that data reveals that 2012 showed the first spike in traffic deaths in seven years. The statistics for last year display nearly a 5.3 percent increase in road fatalities, reporting more than 34,000 deaths in traffic accidents.

This four-year survey was conducted by the nonprofit AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, in its continued efforts to raise awareness and educate the public on road safety. The CEO of AAA Peter Kissinger has said that their surveys often convey a reality of "many motorists consistently admitting to engaging in the same dangerous behaviors for which they could condemn other drivers".

Here is a breakdown of the survey results. Back in 2009, ninety percent of people surveyed thought getting behind the wheel after drinking was a severe threat, whereas only sixty-nine percent of people thought so in 2012. Seventy-one percent of survey takers thought that drowsy driving was perilous in 2009. Only 46 percent of people in 2012 think drowsy driving is a grave danger. The number even decreased for people who think that texting or emailing while you drive puts you in jeopardy. The number was 87 percent of people in 2009, compared to 81 percent of people in 2012. At the same time, 21 percent of people confessed to texting behind the wheel in 2009, while 26 percent did in 2012. Also alarming is how many people believe running a red light is "completely unacceptable". Only 70 percent of survey takers believe running a red is wrong, which is down from 77 percent in 2009. The survey also revealed that 38 percent of people said that they had run a red light within the past thirty days.

This massive drop in the public being able to accurately perceive dangerous habits is disconcerting. Further data points to the reality that there are still too many preventable accidents occurring, such as when an aggressive drivers violate traffic laws, people take to the road after a few drinks, or drivers take their eyes off the road for five seconds to check a text. This leads to thousands of fatalities, including the deaths of innocent victims, drivers, passengers, bicyclists, pedestrians, and others. The top cause of death for people between the ages of 5 and 34 is a vehicle collision. The number of people injured every year in these vehicle accidents is also staggering—more than 2.3 million people injured. While these dangers can be present on the road any day of the year, holiday weekends are notorious for being even more dangerous for drivers.

This holiday weekend, approximately 34.1 million Americans are expected to travel for at least 50 miles. If you have a road trip ahead of you, the Foundation for Traffic Safety has guidelines to help you from becoming a drowsy driving statistic. First off, pull over and take a nap, or have someone else take the wheel if your eyelids are drooping, you catch yourself nodding off, you keep yawning, you start drifting out of your lane, or you find yourself unable to remember the last few minutes.

To even keep from reaching this stage of fatigue, be sure to get no less than seven hours of sleep before you head out. If you catch yourself driving tired, remember that this is just as dangerous to yourself and others as if you were driving drunk. Choose the right time to drive, when you will be alert. Take a rest at intervals of two hours or 100 miles. Drink caffeine thirty minutes before you drive, and as you go. This can help you and your family to enjoy your holiday weekend safely.