Gen Z Vs. The Wheel: Here’s What Everyone Thinks

For enthusiasts, driving is therapy, a fun affair. But for people who see cars as mere modes of transportation, it is a very demanding skill that shouldn’t be taken lightly. In simpler words, the latter are those who would not think twice before opting for an autonomous car! Driving a car requires coordination, attention, and presence of mind. Today, we also have a vibrant age group of drivers, ranging from young Gen Zs to experienced Millennials.

So, the peeps at Scrap Car Comparison UK brought drivers of all walks together for a survey to find out what they think of each other and to answer a tough question—What makes a good driver? The outcome is both fascinating and alarming. But the key findings of this survey do give us an insight into what the public thinks specifically of younger drivers, and it’s not pretty!

Young Gen Z Drivers Are Risk Takers

77 Percent Of People Agree To This Via A Global Study

The guys at Scrap Car Comparison UK embarked on an extensive survey, asking drivers in 18 countries around the world to share how they really felt about the driving styles of different generations on the road. The results are, well, let’s say, not very pleasing. According to the survey, young Gen Z drivers under the age of 25 are considered the biggest risk-takers on the road and therefore the most dangerous.

Australians are quite skeptical of Gen Z drivers, with 90 percent agreeing with the ‘risk factor’. Seven of the 18 countries in this survey have 80% or more of drivers expressing concern about how Gen Z drivers are on the road. That’s quite a lot of people who believe that those under 25 can’t be trusted with a car.

Country-wise Split-up Of This Poll

Here’s Why Gen Z Drivers Are In The Spotlight

Distractions And Lack Of Experience Top The List

While a lack of road experience is a strong factor, another deadly factor is the survey’s outcome, which ruled in favor of this survey. The always-connected lifestyle of Gen Z is to blame here, with smartphones being the main culprit. Unlike millennials, Gen Z has had a lot more technological exposure. This has also trickled into their daily lifestyle habits. A prime example is screen time. Mastermind Behavior states that Gen Z leads all generations in daily screen usage, averaging around 9 hours.

This effect has also seeped into their driving, with Gen Z drivers spending a terrifying amount of time looking at their smartphones while behind the wheel. The shocking results were revealed via a study published in the journal Traffic Injury Prevention. It states that 26.5 percent of more than 1,100 teenage drivers included in this survey glanced at screens for 2 seconds or longer, a duration that drastically increases the risk of crashing. The most common distractions were entertainment (65 percent), texting (40 percent), and navigation (30 percent). This, when coupled with the lack of driving experience, makes Gen Z drivers deadlier.

Here’s How Gen Z Can Contribute To A Safer Driving Environment

Less Screen Time Is Key, But….

For a generation brought up around screens, it is a tough nut to crack. But less screen time is key to making roads safer and to giving Gen Z drivers a chance to rebuild lost trust. However, it is easier said than done because even new cars today are loaded with technology and screens. Some even have three screens layered across the dashboard.

Hence, a more logical approach is to incorporate these unavoidable technological features and create software features to help mitigate distractions. A simple start would be to have a locked, driving-centric interface when the vehicle is in motion. The screen should not display features beyond what is needed when driving. As for the use of smartphones, it is the driver who needs to enforce the rules on themselves.

Notable Ways To Address Distractions And Enforce Safety Driving Habits

• Consciously limit phone use to only when the vehicle is stationary
• Put the smartphone on silent mode
• Establish clear rules and enforce consequences
• Participate in various driver training courses, including the bleeding-edge digital ones.

There Is Another Side To This Story Where Gen Z Should Be Appreciated

There’s A Significant Decrease In Fatal Crashes Involving Young Drivers

While we keep bashing Gen Z for their dangerous driving, we’ve forgotten that this is an apples-to-oranges comparison. Sure, the road is common ground, and we can’t sway in favor of one generation, but there is a bright side to the Gen Z wave of drivers, too. Gen Z drivers are turning out to be much safer teenage drivers than previous generations.

Data from the NHTSA shows a significant decrease in fatal crashes involving young drivers (aged 15 to 20) over the past 30 years. Since the NHTSA started publishing Traffic Safety Facts for Young Drivers in 1994, the young drivers’ fatal crash involvement rate has dropped to nearly 40 percent. On average, since Gen Z entered the driving age, the US has seen just over 1,800 young driver fatalities per year, compared to over 3,000 for both Gen X and millennials.

However, one might argue that, given the recent trend of Gen Z teenagers not being interested in driving, this data is no longer applicable. But then again, the number of cars on the roads is currently at its highest, which makes the driving environment much more challenging than it was during the millennial and even Gen X teen days.

Older Millennials Are The “Most Trusted Drivers”

With Experience Comes Wisdom

Some other fascinating insights also surfaced from this global study. Older millennials (aged 35–44) were crowned the world’s most trusted drivers. The majority of the trust came from Spain (58 percent), Germany (57 percent), and Hungary (57 percent).

Overall, more than 54 percent of people believe this age group has the best driving skills. The reason is most likely patience, the result of years of driving experience. Years of driving on various types of roads also build confidence, and hence, these drivers should have honed their driving skills.

But this trust fades for drivers 70 and older. This is because nearly half of the global survey respondents raised concerns and believe that drivers should stop in their 70s. South Africans feel that even this is extreme because they think people should consider stopping driving in their 60s.

This outcome is primarily because of how generally people start having weaker coordinative capabilities and attention span. Generalizing an age group on this factor is problematic, as an 80-year-old driving a Ferrari F40 around with flair is enough to stir things up. But that is what most drivers say, which does contribute to the overall consensus. Furthermore, 69 percent of Irish people and 68 percent of UK people believe that drivers over 75 are the slowest on the road, which, in turn, hampers the flow.

So, What Is The Most Important Driving Trait?

With flaws plentiful in each of the generations out there, the most crucial question is: What exactly is the parameter that defines a safe and vigilant driver? Well, 70 percent of the drivers who contributed to this study believe that beyond age, ‘experience’ is the key. As with any other skill, the more hours you spend behind the wheel with a willingness to adapt and learn, the better driver you become.

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Sources: Scrap Car Comparison UK, NY Post, Carsales AU, Codot Gov, and NHTSA.