We’ve all heard stereotypes about which group of individuals in Massachusetts make poor drivers. In many instances, these stereotypes are overbroad and can be downright offensive. Yet, one recent study has shown that one segment of the population, “millennials,” are more dangerous drivers than other groups of Americans.
The study, conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, found that 88 percent of young millennials, aged 19 to 24, engaged in at least one dangerous behavior while driving over the last 30 days. These dangerous behaviors include texting and driving, running red lights and failing to obey the speed limit. All of these actions can put other motorists at severe risk of injury via a car accident.
Making matters worse, some of these millennial drivers find their risky behavior acceptable. In fact, the study found that almost 12 percent of these motorists think that it is okay to drive 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. In addition, some millennial drivers fail to recognize texting and driving as the dangerous activity that it actually is.
Of course, millennials don’t hold a monopoly over dangerous and distracted driving. Seventy-nine percent of those aged 25 to 39 admitted to engaging in the risky behaviors mentioned above, while more than 60 percent of those between the ages of 40 and 59 admitted to such behavior. Even those of the age of 70 were found to engage in dangerous driving more than 60 percent of the time over the previous month.
So what does this mean for Massachusetts’ motorists? It means that they are likely surrounded by drivers whose attention is on other things other than the road. This can put them in a perilous situation. Even the most defensive driver can find him or herself subject to a vicious accident, leaving them with damages in the form of physical pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages. These individuals should carefully consider their legal options, as filing a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent driver may be the only way for them to pursue the compensation they deserve.
Source: Business Insider, “Millennials are America’s worst drivers,” Matthew DeBord, Feb. 15, 2017
