Gen Z is driving distracted — however maybe not in the way in which Individuals would anticipate, in accordance with new analysis.
The survey of two,000 American drivers, cut up evenly with 500 per era, revealed that regardless of youthful generations and cell telephones being ubiquitous, Gen Z is utilizing tech in smarter methods whereas driving.
However that doesn’t imply they’re driving safely on the street: The survey checked out a wide range of authorized, however unsafe, distracted driving habits, and located Gen Z respondents have been extra seemingly than different generations to be committing these “driving sins.”
Prior to now 12 months alone, 54% of Gen Z respondents admitted to consuming whereas driving, in comparison with 53% of millennials, 47% of Gen X and 32% of child boomers.
Commissioned by digital insurance coverage firm, Lemonade, and performed by Talker Analysis for Distracted Driving Consciousness Month in April, the survey discovered Gen Z drivers have been additionally extra more likely to drive whereas drained (32%).
This was in comparison with 28% of millennials, 22% of Gen X and simply 15% of child boomers.
Youthful generations have been extra more likely to have a heated argument with another person within the automobile (15% for Gen Z and millennials) they usually have been additionally the most certainly to let a pet sit on their lap whereas driving (13%).
Maybe it is sensible then, that solely 30% of Gen Z imagine their era has safer drivers than different age teams.
That’s in comparison with 43% of millennials, 60% of Gen X and 63% of child boomers surveyed who stated the identical about how their very own friends driving security stacks up.
“No matter how usually Individuals are driving, staying targeted behind the wheel is likely one of the most essential issues any driver can do — for their very own security and everybody else’s,” acknowledged Sean Burgess, Chief Claims Officer at Lemonade. “All of us get tempted by distractions, but it surely’s clear youthful drivers who have been raised with expertise at their fingertips are navigating that with rising consciousness.”
Regardless of having driving habits they nonetheless have to work on, Gen Z drivers surveyed shared a wide range of secure driving behaviors with regards to how they use tech on the street.
Youthful drivers are essentially the most tech-forward, with 56% of Gen Z sometimes, if not at all times, turning on car-specific settings like Drive Mode, CarPlay and Android Auto when driving.
That is in comparison with 47% of millennials, 34% of Gen X and 18% of child boomers surveyed. The truth is, 63% of child boomers by no means flip these options on.
Two-thirds (64%) of Gen Z use their telephones to play music whereas driving, versus simply 8% of child boomers.
And 54% use them for instructions — once more, greater than every other group (with child boomers the least seemingly, at 37%).
Throughout generations, a few fifth of respondents maintain their telephone someplace in attain (just like the passenger seat), however youthful generations have been extra seemingly to make use of their telephone hands-free.
Gen Z and millennials have been additionally extra more likely to make hands-free telephone calls, ship hands-free textual content messages and have their telephone learn textual content messages to them whereas driving, an indication that they’re not simply utilizing tech, however hopefully utilizing it to drive smarter.
They’re additionally extra tech-forward with regards to their automobile insurance coverage, with 41% of Gen Z respondents reporting they use, and like, tech to assist get higher charges on automobile insurance coverage — like a location-enabled app on their telephone or plug-in machine for his or her automobile that displays mileage and/or driving habits.
That’s in comparison with 35% of millennials, 28% of Gen X and 13% of child boomers.
“Youthful drivers are redefining what it means to be accountable on the street,” added Burgess. “They’re not simply open to tech-enabled insurance coverage — they anticipate it. From utilizing telematics to unlock higher charges to embracing linked options that promote safer driving, Gen Z is exhibiting that fashionable insurance coverage ought to meet them the place they’re: cell, conscious and data-driven.”
Survey methodology:
Talker Analysis surveyed 2,000 American drivers cut up evenly by era; the survey was commissioned by Lemonade and administered and performed on-line by Talker Analysis between March 18–25, 2025.
