Posted: September 6, 2019
According to studies by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety and Consumer Reports, millennial and elderly drivers are more likely than other age groups to be involved in car accidents, as well as in fatal wrecks.
The factors that cause the youngest and oldest drivers to crash their cars more than other age demographics are different, but the catastrophic effects of auto collisions are the same. Car accidents can hurt you physically, financially, and emotionally. If you were injured because of the actions of another driver, the attorneys at Shapiro & Sternlieb can help you find justice.
Millennials Engage in Dangerous Driving Behaviors
According to a study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, millennial drivers engage in more dangerous behaviors behind the wheel than other drivers. The study was based on a survey of more than 2,500 drivers conducted by the market research firm GfK.
According to the survey, 88% of millennials admitted to engaging in dangerous behavior such as texting while driving, speeding or running red lights. No other age group engaged in these risky behaviors with such regularity. When the driving behaviors of the entire millennial generation are compared with the practices of other drivers, the difference in these dangerous actions is significant:
- Texting while driving is almost twice as common among millennial drivers as it is among other drivers (59.3% to 31.4%)
- Millennial drivers run red lights when they could've stopped safely at a higher rate than other drivers (50% to 36%)
- A higher percentage of millennial drivers found it acceptable to drive 10 MPH over the speed limit in school zones than other drivers (12% to 5%)
This information was released shortly after the National Safety Council released data indicating that traffic deaths across the country experienced the biggest 2-year spike in over 50 years. It appears that this dangerous driving behavior is leading to an increase in car accidents on our nation's roads.
The data from this survey makes it clear that we need to do a better job of educating young drivers about the dangers that can occur when engaging in risky behavior behind the wheel. Often car accident victims suffer serious, life-altering injuries as a result of these collisions.
Elderly Drivers Get in Car Accidents for Different Reasons
Elderly drivers don't engage at the same rate in the unsafe behaviors that endanger millennial drivers, but their accident and fatal accident rates are nearly the same. That's because many aspects of aging can impact a person's ability to drive, including:
- Slower reflexes
- Deteriorating vision and hearing
- Medical conditions such as dementia, strokes, heart failure, arthritis, Parkinson's disease, and diabetes
Furthermore, the lack of reliable public transportation systems in many suburban and rural areas means that senior citizens may feel they have to keep driving to maintain their independence. States also have inconsistent laws regarding license renewal for elderly drivers. Twenty-eight states have laws that mandate more frequent driving exams for older drivers. New Jersey is not one of them.
Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys Today
If you've been injured in a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your damages. The attorneys at Shapiro & Sternlieb have almost 60 years of combined experience handling car accident cases for individuals in the Newark area. We know how to battle the insurance companies who often unfairly try to reduce the value of your claim, and we'll fight aggressively to maximize the value of your compensation.
Please contact Shapiro & Sternlieb using the form on this page or call (732) 617-8050 today to schedule your free car accident consultation. We serve clients in Newark, New Brunswick, Englishtown, Monmouth and Middlesex Counties, and nearby areas of New Jersey.
