Millennials Are the Largest Generation in America

In the last two years, car crash statistics have increased in America. Even though modern technology has made vehicles safer, and texting and driving bans have been put into law to cut down on distracted driving. So why are we still crashing so much? One theory as to why the roads are not getting safer is due to the quality of this America’s drivers.  In 2016, the Millennial generation overtook the Baby Boomers as the largest generation in the United States. Millennials are ages 18-34 and there are over 75 million of them on the roads of America. A study done by AAA has declared the Millennial generation as the worst behaved drivers in the United States.

Millennial Drivers

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a survey on Millennial drivers after studying their driving habits. In AAA’s report, 88% of young millennial drivers had engaged in at least one risky behavior while driving in the last 30 days. That statistic alone earned the generation the title of worst behaved U.S. drivers. The study focused on drivers ages 19-24 known as “young millennials.”

The risky behavior patterns in their driving included speeding, texting and driving, and running red lights. According to AAA’s executive director Dr. David Yang, is that young drivers don’t feel this is a problem. “Some of the drivers ages 19-24 believe that their dangerous driving behavior is acceptable” said Dr. Yang.

An alarming statistic in AAA’s study found that nearly 12% of young millennial drivers reported feeling that driving 10 mph over the limit in a school zone is acceptable. This is compared to less than 5% of ALL drivers who feel it is okay to speed in a school zone. In the survey, 79% of older millennials ages 25-39 admitted to dangerous driving habits when they were younger. Millennials may be considered bad drivers but that can be attributed to lack of experience. The danger is that they don’t feel their habits put them at risk of being seriously injured in car accidents or causing a fatal wreck.

Distracted Driving is Deadly

The NHTSA reports that 1 in every 10 fatal car crashes in America involve distracted drivers. This results in more than 3,000 traffic deaths every year! Distracted driving is not exclusive to cellphones and texting. Applying makeup, eating, personal grooming, reaching for fallen objects, and gawking at a crash scene, all fall under distractions while driving. Keeping your eyes off the road for more than 2 seconds doubles your risk of being involved in a car crash.

Personal Injury Attorneys and Distracted Drivers

We know that texting or talking on the phone while driving is dangerous, yet we still do it. In 2014, a survey found that 69% of U.S. drivers ages 18-64 admitted to reading or texting while driving in the last 30 days. That is why knowing a trusted personal injury attorney is good for peace of mind. In the event of an accident a personal injury attorney can fight with insurance companies to get you the cash you need. That’s why Davis Law Firm is here 24/7 to listen to your case. Our team of legal representatives offer free consultations at no risk to you. If you or a loved has been injured in an accident Jeff is here for you! Contact us today.