New generation, new rules? How Gen Z drives differently

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS THAT GEN Z IS DRIVING DISTRACTED — BUT PERHAPS NOT IN THE WAY YOU WOULD EXPECT.

THE SURVEY OF 2,000 AMERICAN DRIVERS FROM INSURANCE COMPANY LEMONADE FOUND THAT WHILE YOUNGER GENERATIONS ARE USING TECH IN SMARTER WAYS WHILE DRIVING, GEN Z IS MORE LIKELY THAN OTHER GENERATIONS TO BE COMMITTING THESE ‘DRIVING SINS.’

IN THE PAST YEAR ALONE, 54 PERCENT OF GEN Z RESPONDENTS ADMITTED TO EATING WHILE DRIVING, COMPARED TO 53 PERCENT OF MILLENNIALS, 47 PERCENT OF GEN X AND 32 PERCENT OF BABY BOOMERS. GEN Z DRIVERS WERE ALSO MORE LIKELY TO DRIVE WHILE TIRED (32%).

CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT YOUNGER GENERATIONS WERE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A HEATED ARGUMENT WITH SOMEONE ELSE IN THE CAR (15% FOR GEN Z AND MILLENNIALS) AND THEY WERE ALSO THE MOST LIKELY TO LET A PET SIT ON THEIR LAP WHILE DRIVING (13%).

PERHAPS IT MAKES SENSE THEN, THAT ONLY 30% OF GEN Z BELIEVE THEIR GENERATION HAS SAFER DRIVERS THAN OTHER AGE GROUPS.

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American drivers split evenly by generation; the survey was commissioned by Lemonade and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 18–25, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.