Survey Results: Millennials most likely to drive distracted
Young drivers in the U.S. more likely to use smartphones, multi-task while behind the wheel.
From ValuePenguin.com
Studies have shown that auto insurance companies tend to charge younger, less experienced drivers higher rates.
That might not change anytime soon, a new survey suggests, as millennial drivers appear more likely to have dangerous driving habits than older groups.
The Liberty Mutual Insurance-conducted study concluded millennial drivers across the world are more likely to use their smartphones when driving, and U.S. millennials are leading the trend.
Here are some of the findings, according to ValuePenguin.com:
- “Most millennial drivers in the U.S. — 86% — admitted to having used their phones while driving. In comparison, 72% of Gen Xers and 49% of baby boomers said they’ve used a phone while behind the wheel. U.S. millennial drivers also surpass their Western European peers in phone usage, as a slightly milder 73% of Western European millennials reported using the phone while driving.
- “More than half of millennials (53%) have sent emails or texts while driving, compared to 36% of Gen Xers and 11% of boomers.
- “One-third of millennials (33%) have even used social media apps while driving, as have 15% of Gen Xers and 3% of boomers.
- “63% of millennials confessed to “multi-tasking” while driving, engaging in such distracting behaviors as eating and applying makeup. Older generations were also less likely to do this, with 54% of Gen Xers and 37% of boomers saying they multitask while driving.
- “Nearly half of millennial respondents (47%) likewise said they sometimes drive aggressively, compared to just 22% of baby boomers.
- “Americans in general appear to be more dangerous drivers than those in Western Europe, the study found. Approximately 47% of U.S. drivers copped to potentially dangerous habits such as speeding and multi-tasking, compared to 39% of Western European drivers.
- “38% of respondents from the U.S. said they speed regularly, compared to only 30% of respondents from Western Europe.
- “Many of those questioned blamed their hurried driving on running late, saying they sometimes drive faster in order to make up for lost time. In fact, 51% of U.S. drivers said they sped, and 23% admitted to failing to stop at a stop sign because they were late to something.
