America's Worst Drivers

Who Needs to Retake Their Driver's Test the Most?

Which age group do you think ranks as the worst drivers in America? According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, the answer is motorists from the ages of 19-24. This group represents younger millennials and older members of Generation Z.

The AAA Foundation released a report in 2017 trying to determine which age group had the most trouble behind the wheel. They stated that "88% of young millennials engaged in at least one risky behavior behind the wheel in the past 30 days." Risky behaviors included speeding, running red lights, and texting while driving. The report also noted that traffic-related deaths increased by 7% in 2015, which marks the largest single-year increase in more than 50 years.

The problem, it seems, is rooted in attitude. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety's Executive Director Dr. David Yang said, "Some [young] drivers believe that their dangerous driving behavior is acceptable." Another troubling statistic gleaned from the report revealed that "nearly 12% of drivers ages 19-24 reported feeling that it is acceptable to drive 10 mph over the speed limit in school zones."

But before you decide that millennials deserve all the blame, not that drives ages 40-59 are also guilty of speeding, running red lights, and texting while driving. In fact, or 75% of people in this age group do so fairly regularly. This group is the third top offender behind older millennials (who are ages 25-39). About 79% of people in this group engage in dangerous driving habits at least once a month.

Another AAA report, the 2017 Traffic Safety Culture Index, reported that just over half of all drivers routinely drive 15 mph over the posted speed limit on highways and 10 mph over on residential streets. On top of this, about 25% of drivers believe it's okay to drive 15 mph over the limit.

The takeaway from AAA's report is that drivers of all ages engage in poor driving habits. The best thing any of us can do is drive defensively, keep our eyes on the road, and look out for other drivers.