Millennials menace U.S. roads

By: Riley Head ~Staff Writer~

Recently AAA released a study stating that millennial drivers are the worst drivers.

According to AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, “88% of drivers 19- to 24-yearsold acknowledged engaging in risky behavior such as texting while driving, running red lights or speeding.”

“I think we are very distracted drivers in general.” Sophomore Lexy Saraswate said. “I try to (be observant of traffic laws) for the most part. I know sometimes I’ll park on the wrong direction on the road.”

While most young drivers included in this survey claimed they disapprove of these behaviors, they also willingly admitted to participating in them.

“I haven’t been in any accidents while I was the driver, but I have been in a small accident while my friend was driving,” sophomore Maryn McCartney said. “I’ve definitely come close to getting in one myself if I wasn’t paying attention because I was on my phone which is really bad.” .

According to the survey, millennials acknowledged typing or sending a text or email while driving at nearly twice the rate of other drivers (59.3 percent to 31.4percent).

Texting was not the only inappropriate behavior; numbers were also twice as high for activities such as not stopping

“I very rarely text and drive. I drive a stick shift so that makes it almost impossible because I have to constantly use both hands. I am kind of thankful for that.” First year Sydney Sanders said.

“One of the biggest issues for millennial drivers in my opinion are all of the distractions,” Junior Kate Sanders said. “For instance, when drivers are messing around with their phones, their aux chords or whatever else, it isn’t exactly the safest environment for driving.”

Multiple studies have found this same information on millennial drivers, and the numbers become increasingly alarming each year. Whatever the case, the reprecussions from a great number of millennials on the road are alarming. In a six percent increase from 2016, car fatalities surpassed 40,000 for the first time in ten years. This death spike is being widely attributed to millennial driving habits.