Millennial drivers are highway hazards, survey shows

[aussiblue]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2...hows/97888336/

I suspect similar figures in Oz.

Millennial drivers are the worst.

That’s not just their elders talking. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found 88% of drivers 19- to 24-years-old acknowledged engaging in risky behavior such as texting while driving, running red lights or speeding during the previous month, according to a report released Wednesday.

The survey of 2,511 drivers from Aug. 25 through Sept. 6 by market research firm GfK found:

• Millennials acknowledged typing or sending a text or email while driving at nearly twice the rate of other drivers (59.3% to 31.4%).

• Nearly half of Millennials reported running a red light even if they could have stopped safely, compared with 36% of the rest of drivers.

• Nearly 12% of Millennials said it was acceptable to speed 10 mph over the speed limit in a school zone, compared with 5% of other drivers.

“Alarmingly, some of the drivers ages 19 to 24 believe that their dangerous driving behavior is acceptable,” said David Yang, the foundation’s executive director.

The findings come as driving is becoming more dangerous: The number of traffic deaths rose to 35,092 in 2015. That 7% increase from a year earlier was the largest one-year jump in five decades.

The survey also found drivers are hypocrites. Motorists told AAA that distracted, impaired and aggressive driving are unacceptable. Yet many drivers engaged in the same behaviors they had condemned.

While 40.2% of drivers reported reading a text or email during the previous month, 78.2% called that “completely unacceptable,” the survey said.

Nearly 80% of motorists also said drowsy driving is “completely unacceptable,” but 28.9% admitted driving within the previous month when they were so tired they had trouble keeping their eyes open.

Almost all drivers, 92.8%, called driving through a red light unacceptable when they could have stopped safely. But more than one in three, 35.6%, acknowledged running a light during the previous month.

There was strong support from 81% of drivers for requiring ignition locks for even first-time offenders of driving while intoxicated. And 63.5% of drivers agreed with a proposal to reduce the blood-alcohol concentration from the current national standard of 0.08% to 0.05%.

But 2.5% of drivers acknowledged driving within an hour of using marijuana and alcohol during the past year.

“It’s critical that these drivers understand the potentially deadly consequences of engaging in these types of behaviors and that they change their behavior and attitudes in order to reverse the growing number of fatalities on U.S. roads,” Yang said.

[mike_nofx]

Why is 'millenials' specified? It should just be "young drivers are the worst".
The young drivers of every generation have been the worst, it's not a trait specific to millenials.

Congratulations to the researchers who discovered this, who'd have thought young drivers with the least experience and the most testosterone are the worst on the road?

[.:4:.]

Good thing I was born in the 80's. I hate getting pigeon holed. 14 years at the wheel and one not at fault accident. No tickets either. Absolutely shocking stats. I'm ashamed with myself. I should have had atleast 5 write offs back in the day but I failed. 11 speeding tickets, but again I failed. Oh well, no stereo types for me.. atleast insurance has eased off..

[Crazy Dazz]

I don't understand why we have suddenly started referring to Gen Y as "Millennials"?

Shouldn't Millennials be those from the new Millennium?

[XWGT]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I don't understand why we have suddenly started referring to Gen Y as "Millennials"?

Shouldn't Millennials be those from the new Millennium?

Because Gen Y are not Millennials?
Just as Gen X are not Gen Y?

[Dr Terry]

Originally Posted by XWGT

Because Gen Y are not Millennials?
Just as Gen X are not Gen Y?

I realise that the internet is not an infallible source of information, but if you
Google Gen Y or Millennials, they appear to be one in the same.

One site defines them as "a person reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century."

Dr Terry

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by XWGT

Because Gen Y are not Millennials?
Just as Gen X are not Gen Y?

So we're now calling Gen Y Millennials, because they're not?
Ok...

So, should I now refer to myself as Gen Y? Because I'm not?

Or can I just call myself an astronaut, because I'm not that either?

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I don't understand why we have suddenly started referring to Gen Y as "Millennials"?

Shouldn't Millennials be those from the new Millennium?

Just people trying to keep up with the trends.
Some people seam to think Gen Y and Millennials are the same thing, some think they are different. Either way ever generation thinks they are better than the others, and the also think they had it the hardest.

"Living in Brisbane back in my day to get a pail of milk we had to walk 30 miles barefoot through the snow and it was uphill both ways"

[OzJavelin]

Phones and in-car-entertainment systems are the biggest problem ... and unfortunately younger people seem to be more slaves to them than older ones.

Riding a motorbike you tend to spend a lot of time watching drivers (to see if they are watching you and the road) ... the number of drivers sailing along head down, oblivious they are approaching a red light, have crossed a double white line, etc ...

Drugs and driving ... another issue.

[Sabantien]

Originally Posted by OzJavelin

Phones and in-car-entertainment systems are the biggest problem ... and unfortunately younger people seem to be more slaves to them than older ones.

Riding a motorbike you tend to spend a lot of time watching drivers (to see if they are watching you and the road) ... the number of drivers sailing along head down, oblivious they are approaching a red light, have crossed a double white line, etc ...

Drugs and driving ... another issue.

Of course, some people riding motorbikes are just as bad as people driving.

Saw one guy on the highway doing 100+ while looking down at his phone texting.

[OzJavelin]

Originally Posted by Sabantien

Of course, some people riding motorbikes are just as bad as people driving.

Saw one guy on the highway doing 100+ while looking down at his phone texting.

Dont worry .. he'll likely stop doing that permenantly very soon.

[danzvtil]

What a croc, that headline could read methheads,the elderly,Asians,new to country,mums with kids,Suzuki swifts with frangipani stickers..... Everyone drives like crap, I witness them all every day.....

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

What a croc, that headline could read methheads,the elderly,Asians,new to country,mums with kids,Suzuki swifts with frangipani stickers..... Everyone drives like crap, I witness them all every day.....

Your post sir, i can relate to.

Drivers are getting worse which makes sense as driver education is next to nothing and common sense is even lesser.
Watch how good the roads will be if drivers are made to go through the things pilots have to go through to gain their ticket.

And dont forget people, nearly 46% of statistics are made up to suit an adgenda. Ill leave that with you guys.

[smoo]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

What a croc, that headline could read methheads,the elderly,Asians,new to country,mums with kids,Suzuki swifts with frangipani stickers..... Everyone drives like crap, I witness them all every day.....

Difference being is that these millennials are a new generation of pussies. The boys are more feminine than the girls. Where both won't accept responsibility for their own actions and will look at blaming someone else for their misfortune or bad decisions. Baby boomers seem to be the ones copping the blame for any bad cards dealt to this selfish tantrum throwing generation at the moment.
So yeah, not that I believe surveys, but I think there's a link between them being highway hazards and can do no wrong/head too far up the **** to realise a mistake and correct/minimise it for the future.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by danzvtil

What a croc, that headline could read methheads,the elderly,Asians,new to country,mums Yeahwith kids,Suzuki swifts with frangipani stickers..... Everyone drives like crap, I witness them all every day.....

Rubbish article. They surveyed people in an age bracket and then wrote an article about it. With a click bait headline.

[.:4:.]

I reckon if the driving test had to be done in a supplied xa falcon or hq kingswood with the base motor, column shift manual and no boosted brakes, there would be many less incompetent people on the road. The reverse parallel park would be more of a chalenge, and stopping requires a bit of effort. Same as low speed steering.
Even better if there is no passenger mirror. That would test awareness to the surroundings. But no. It's not that hard to pay attention and indicate out of a roundabout (that wasn't a rule for my test) once then leave with a provisional licence and go back to being oblivious to the world. Even dumber, in nsw you can use auto reverse parallel park if the cars fitted with it. My car when I did the test didn't even have parking sensors and I nailed it. My current work hack doesn't either and I survive just fine.

[Sprintey]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

I reckon if the driving test had to be done in a supplied xa falcon or hq kingswood with the base motor, column shift manual and no boosted brakes, there would be many less incompetent people on the road.

Hey that's exactly how I started! HJ Belmont, column manual, 173 all drum brakes. Made me a good country driver, you had to anticipate everything well in advance, spirited it wasn't!

In some ways I wish I had an underpowered column shifter to show my learning young one how to drive this flavour of car.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Sprintey

Hey that's exactly how I started! HJ Belmont, column manual, 173 all drum brakes. Made me a good country driver, you had to anticipate everything well in advance, spirited it wasn't!

In some ways I wish I had an underpowered column shifter to show my learning young one how to drive this flavour of car.

Thats when driving could at times be hard work. The first car I drove (I was only 12 so it seemed alot harder then it probably is) was a 78 uc torana hatch with no power steering, crap brakes and a stuffed trimatic. Exterior mods were pronounced rust accents on most panels. I use the term loosely, but crap cars teach a lot more in a short time then good handling things where stuff like cornering or stopping, or even going aren't a gamble at all. Having experience driving a car you have to drive and be aware of all the pit falls doing it makes the driver do the same in a car that doesn't have the pit falls at all.

[Sprintey]

As a disclaimer I generally cringe at generational marketing, but we can notice differences between shared experiences of groups of people growing in different times.

Kids in my immediate knowledge, one is on the Y/Z cusp and is fully into tech, no interest in cars or driving; the other is definite Z - as noticed by being more hands on, less connected; more 'call a spade a spade' (you know, the old harshness of growing up in Oz), less 'everyone gets a trophy'; more 'build it with my hands' less 'download the app' - wants to drive yesterday.

I also notice that each new level in driver aids and assistance, removes our personal responsibility that one step further. Eg, with the autonomous braking, you can be texting away, head down, and you will not hit the car in traffic in front of you. These days I watch faces in traffic so much more, to see whose eyes are up.

It will evolve to the point where you can, safely, watch Harry Potter in your commute. I think that will suit the tech/connected generation.

[CyberWasp]

I didn't think there were many young people on the road any more.
Half seem not interested in getting licenses and driving cars.
It is way easier to catch public transport where you can sit and twiddle away on your phone.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

I didn't think there were many young people on the road any more.
Half seem not interested in getting licenses and driving cars.
It is way easier to catch public transport where you can sit and twiddle away on your phone.

Assuming that there's public transport available

[Adamz Ghia]

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Assuming that there's public transport available

And if you're living in Melbourne, if the public transport actually works...

[wodahs]

Originally Posted by CyberWasp

I didn't think there were many young people on the road any more.
Half seem not interested in getting licenses and driving cars.
It is way easier to catch public transport where you can sit and twiddle away on your phone.

not having licences or owning vehicles doesn't seem to stop some of them

[Junkyard-Dog]

Public transport is usually a freak show. It amazes me that anyone would actually choose to have it as their only means of transport. For me, it will always be the last resort.

[Grunter]

These types of threads talking about the "young 'uns being a huge problem", are timeless.

Pretty sure I could copy and paste this thread in 20 years, change the dates and name to GenABCD and it would still fit.

As mike_nofx posted, same ****, different year, same outrage.

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Grunter

These types of threads talking about the "young 'uns being a huge problem", are timeless.

Pretty sure I could copy and paste this thread in 20 years, change the dates and name to GenABCD and it would still fit.

As mike_nofx posted, same ****, different year, same outrage.

That's true. You could also go back in a time machine and it still would be relevant.


40 years ago the young un's were still the most dangerous drivers on the road.
Only difference is back then they were all drink driving regularly. Now the young ones are texting while driving regularly.

If I had a dollar for every baby boomer and Gen x who has said to me something like
"We used to drink at the pub for 5 hours non stop then drive home ****faced, but it was a different time back then", I would have enough to put it in a 40 year term deposit and save for a house deposit.

Yeah it was a different time back then, like your cars had drum brakes, no crumple zones, no air bags, no TCS, ABS, TCS, and all the other acronyms we have these days.

Both my parents and a variety of older relatives and work mates have some stories about being it pretty bad car crashes when they were young. Smashing through peoples fences, police chases, cars rolling multiple times, and so on. In most of these situations the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

Me personally I once had a friend who ran into the back of someone at the traffic lights.

[73 4V XB]

And you neede a survey to realise this

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by Ben73

That's true. You could also go back in a time machine and it still would be relevant.


40 years ago the young un's were still the most dangerous drivers on the road.
Only difference is back then they were all drink driving regularly. Now the young ones are texting while driving regularly.

If I had a dollar for every baby boomer and Gen x who has said to me something like
"We used to drink at the pub for 5 hours non stop then drive home ****faced, but it was a different time back then", I would have enough to put it in a 40 year term deposit and save for a house deposit.

Yeah it was a different time back then, like your cars had drum brakes, no crumple zones, no air bags, no TCS, ABS, TCS, and all the other acronyms we have these days.

Both my parents and a variety of older relatives and work mates have some stories about being it pretty bad car crashes when they were young. Smashing through peoples fences, police chases, cars rolling multiple times, and so on. In most of these situations the driver was under the influence of alcohol.

Me personally I once had a friend who ran into the back of someone at the traffic lights.

Yeah nowadays we can only drink maybe 3 or 4 pints then drive home. Can't be too obvious to bystanders who will dob ya in...

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by TheInterceptor

Yeah nowadays we can only drink maybe 3 or 4 pints then drive home. Can't be too obvious to bystanders who will dob ya in...

Thats a questionable method. .. I bought a house in walking/stumbling distance to the pub with only 1 pedestrian crossing to negotiate..

[TheInterceptor]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

Thats a questionable method. .. I bought a house in walking/stumbling distance to the pub with only 1 pedestrian crossing to negotiate..

Haha that's brilliant!