ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - For some, this may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it also can be a more hazardous time on the roads. That's according to GasBuddy, which is out with a new study that suggests drivers are 175% more aggressive during the holidays than the rest of the year.
The Boston-based tech company that connects drivers will discount gas prices, also monitored driving habits through its app, and communications director Allison Mac says they found drivers around the Thanksgiving holiday exhibited several aggressive driving behaviors. "Basically people are hard-braking more, people are speeding more, people are doing quick accelerations more. So those are the three exact habits we were looking at," she said.
Mac says those habits are not only dangerous, they waste gas, and it's likely going to be even worse in December. The company suggests drivers shouldn't let the stress of the season negatively impact the way they drive. "The hard braking, the speeding, the quick acceleration, what that really shows us is that people are very stressed, people are impatient. Take a deep breath because this is really supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, not the most costly time of the year," she said. GasBuddy reports the most aggressive drivers are in Georgia and California, while the least aggressive are found in Hawaii and Alaska. New York is around the middle of the list, ranked 24th.