The “Osservatorio stili di guida” of A4 Holding is a new project launched for the first time this year, and it consists in a research made on the A4 Brescia Padova and the A31 Valdastico with the purpose of studing risking behaviors of drivers, both of heavy and light vehicles, in order to monitor the results and then giving life to specific campaigns that can improve road safety.

Incorrect behaviors while driving are indeed a great danger for road safety: an incorrect use of cell phones, higher than the limits medium speed and an incorrect use of aisles are a big part of the bad behaviors that drivers tend to have, and that have been monitored during the study.

The investigation brought light on alarming data: the 12% of monitored drivers uses the cell phone while driving. If we examine the type of vehicle, the 10% of auto drivers and the 14% of truck drivers use the phone while driving. In 2019, the distraction factor remains the first cause of accident.

Another main cause of accidents is excess of speed. The study has revealed that the medium speed of light vehicles is 112 km/h (the limit is 130 km/h but descends to 110 in case of bad weather). A correct behaviour, if we do not consider the 16% of drivers that go with a speed that surpasses 130 km/h. On the contrary, the 85% of heavy vehicles surpasses 80 km/h, that is the allowed limit.

Another relevant factor in terms of road safety is the lack of respecting safety distance: the 30% of light vehicles and the 6% of the heavy ones travel at a distance of just 2 seconds (and 2 seconds is the minimum amount of time of reaction needed to avoid an obstacle). The lack of respect of safety distance causes accidents 14,6% of cases. This is a very risky behavior, because in case of an unexpected event is almost impossible to avoid an accident.

The study has then analyzed the use of aisles. The 49% of drivers travels on the central one, even though they have the right one free; the 28% of drivers travels on the commonly known as fast lane. It is a wrong opinion that the right aisle in the motorway is dedicated to slow vehicles, and this forces some vehicles to surpass on the right, meeting further risks.

If we consider instead the use of the direction indicators, for the lane change, it is 67% of the total vehicles not to use them correctly to overtake, while the 74% do not use the direction indicator during the return maneuver.

Last but not least, there's the data relating to the use of seat belts. While the obligation to use them is now internalized between drivers and front passengers, it emerges that 58% of the passengers sitting in the rear seats do not have the habit of using it. This probably occurs because passengers who sit back do not have the perception of the risk.

Here’s the complete report Osservatorio stili di guida 2019 shown to Road Safety Forum of A4 Holding.