No one is a perfect driver every time they get on the road. From going over the speed limit to sending a text message while driving, most people have exuded bad driving behavior before.
However, a survey conducted by our market research company, shows that some generations and genders are more guilty than others.
Drive Research surveyed over 1,800 people across the U.S. to learn what bad driving habits they are guilty of.
Key statistics from the national driving survey included:
- 63% of people admit to having sped while driving
- Baby Boomers (70%) and Gen X (70%) are most likely to speed
- Over half of drivers (54%) do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign
- 45% of people have texted or used their phone while driving
- The majority of Gen X (52%) and Millennials (52%) admit to having used their phone while driving
- 2 in 5 people have run a red light while driving
- The most common driving pet peeve was when people tailgate behind drivers (63%)
Key reading to explore more findings from our PR survey company.
63% of people admit to having sped while driving
Speeding while driving is the most common ‘driving fax paus’ with a majority of drivers admitting to doing it. Of the age groups surveyed (anyone 18 or over), Baby Boomers and Gen X were most likely to speed.
- 70% of Silent Generation / Baby Boomers admit to having sped while driving
- 70% of Gen X admit to going over the speed limit
- 54% of Millennials/Gen Y admit to speeding
- 43% of Gen Z report having sped while driving
Females (64%) were slightly more likely to have gone over the speed limit while driving than males (61%).
An ironic turn of events as young men have been reported as more aggressive drivers in the past.
Over half of drivers (54%) do not come to a complete stop at a stop sign
In order to come to a complete stop at a stop sign, your car must be at complete rest – not slowly rolling forward or backward.
Although this seems simple enough, it’s tempting to play hard and fast with this road rule, especially if no other drivers are around.
Our survey found that 54% of drivers have not come to a complete stop at a stop sign. Of those that admitted to this driving faux pas, 55% were females. Additionally, Gen X was the most likely to not fully stop at a stop sign (60%).
45% of people have texted or used their phone while driving
Currently, 48 states ban text messaging for all drivers, as it is one of the major distracted driving laws.
Although texting and driving fines vary by state, your first offense commonly results in a fine. If you are caught using your phone while driving again, you could lose your license for a year and must pay a higher fine.
Despite the laws in place, 45% of people admit to having texted or using their phones while driving.
Majority of Gen X (52%) and Millennials (52%) report using their phone while driving. It was an even split between men and women.
Ironically, our online survey company also asked respondents about driving pet peeves. 49% of people reported someone texting or using their phone while driving was a big pet peeve of theirs.
2 in 5 people have run a red light while driving
Quick – are you more likely to slow down or speed up when the light turns yellow? If you said the latter, then you might be part of the 40% of drivers in America who have run a red light.
Gen X (45%) and Millennial (41%) drivers are the biggest offenders of driving through a red light.
Additionally, 41% of females have run a red, while 39% of males were guilty of this bad driving habit.
Driving pet peeves
Which type of driver do people hate the most? We asked survey respondents to tell us what their biggest pet peeves of other drivers on the road were.
Overall, drivers who tailgate behind other cars while driving annoy people the most (63%). Other top responses included:
- People not using their turn signal (56%)
- People driving slow in the left or fast lane (50%)
- Someone texting or using their phone while driving (49%)
About the survey
Survey Methodology
- Our survey received 1,813 responses
- National fieldwork consisted of 18+ adults
- Fieldwork lasted from September 2 to September 19th
Respondent Profile (By Age)
- Silent Generation: 4%
- Boomers: 29%
- Gen X: 26%
- Millennials: 32%
- Gen Z: 9%
Respondent Profile (By Gender)
- Male: 29%
- Female: 70%
- Non-binary: 1%
About Drive Research
Drive Research is a national market research company specializing in various qualitative and quantitative methodologies. We often partner with brands on custom PR surveys to extra data that can be featured in press releases, blog posts, webinars, infographics, and more. Our research has been featured in notable publications such as USA Today, The Boston Globe, CNBC, and more.
To learn more about our services, contact our team today.
- Message us on our website
- Email us at [email protected]
- Call us at 888-725-DATA
- Text us at 315-303-2040
Emily Rodgers
A SUNY Cortland graduate, Emily has taken her passion for social and content marketing to Drive Research as the Marketing Manager. She has earned certificates for both Google Analytics and Google AdWords.
Learn more about Emily, here.
