Gen X Canadians most likely to admit to distracted driving

Generation X drivers are the most likely to admit to distracted behaviour behind the wheel, according to a new survey from Allstate Canada.

Of those born between 1965 and 1980 included in the survey, 95% admit to distracted driving behaviour, according to the insurer, which commissioned the online poll of 2465 Canadians, conducted by Abacus Data in May.

Overall, 90% of drivers admit to some kind of distraction while driving, up from 75% in 2010, when Allstate last conducted a survey like this recent one in Canada.

Still, nearly all (97%) of the drivers surveyed perceive distracted driving negatively when it’s done by another driver, Allstate noted.

Of Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) in the survey, 91% admitted to distraction, while 88% of Millennials or Generation Y (born between 1981 and 1996) admitted the same.

Among older drivers of the Silent Generation (born 1925 to 1945), 84% admitted to distracted driving behaviour.

Among the most common distractions, according to Allstate, are:

• Eating/drinking (77%)
• Adjusting the radio or iPod/MP3 player (63%)
• Looking at passengers when speaking to them (51%)
• Playing the radio excessively loud (45%)

The poll also found that 35% of Gen Xers and Millennials admitted to texting, sending emails or taking pictures while behind the wheel.

Nearly a third of Gen X drivers (29%) and Millennials (32%) also admitted to putting on or taking off clothing or accessories while driving, Allstate also noted.

Younger drivers were also less likely to agree that there should be tougher laws around distracted driving, with 66% of Millennials agreeing compared with 76% of Gen X drivers, 80% of Boomers and 85% of the Silent Generation.

Other highlights from the study include:

• 82% of Boomers and 85% of Canadians from the Silent Generation say that aggressive driving is a very serious threat to road safety.
• Only 68% of Gen X and 63% of Millennials view aggressive driving as a very serious threat to road safety.
• 91% of passengers would voice their concern if their driver was engaging in distracting behaviour; 96% of drivers would stop driving distracted if a passenger asked them to.
• More than eight in ten Canadians (83%) are aware that they could be ticketed and/or fined for driving distracted.