According to a new analysis of federal crash data, Generation Z is the most dangerous generation behind the wheel, involved in fatal accidents at twice the national rate.
The study, conducted by ConsumerAffairs, used 2023 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to rank drivers across four age groups. It found that speeding was the primary factor in fatal accidents involving Gen Z, accounting for nearly 6,000 deaths in 2023.
For drivers ages 15 to 29, the federal data shows a disproportionately high involvement in fatal road incidents. According to the study, Gen-Zers make up about one-fifth of the U.S. population, but they are involved in 45% of all fatal crashes attributable to bad driving behaviors. These behaviors include a range of high-risk maneuvers, such as aggressive or careless driving, illegal passing and following other vehicles too closely.
Millennials, ages 30 to 44, follow closely, ranking second in overall traffic death rates. The study found that this generation is “second to Gen Z in traffic death rate and each of the other metrics” examined. For every 100,000 millennials in America, there are 10 fatal crashes per year associated with bad driving behaviors, a figure that sits just behind the 10.49 recorded for Gen Z.
The margin between these two youngest generations is even slimmer for fatalities involving positive blood alcohol content and deaths involving driving under the influence.
Generation X, ages 45 to 59, occupies the middle of the rankings. While their crash and fatality rates remain higher than the national averages, they show a significant decrease compared to younger drivers.
This drop-off is most evident in speeding fatalities. Gen X drivers are involved in annual traffic deaths related to speeding at a rate of 4.83 per 100,000, which is 32% lower than the millennial rate of 7.07.
While often the target of driving stereotypes, baby-boomers, 60 to 79 years old, were found to be the safest drivers on the road. The report attributes this record to their decades of experience, which translates into better judgment and well-practiced safe driving behaviors.
“Baby-boomers have the lowest fatal crash and traffic death rates of any generation currently driving America’s roadways,” the study found.
Their annual crash fatality rate of 15.72 per 100,000 is significantly lower than Gen Z’s total rate of 24.46, and 31% lower than the rate for millennials. The most significant difference appears in fatalities involving driving under the influence, where boomers are involved in 1.71 such fatalities per 100,000 each year, compared to 4.60 for Gen Z.
The data also highlights specific geographic trends, showing that Gen Z drivers are the most dangerous in 29 states. Baby-boomers are the safest drivers in every single state except South Dakota.
Two states, however, consistently rank at the bottom for safety across the board.
The worst drivers in each generation are located in Montana and Wyoming. Montana specifically ranks as the worst state for every generation except baby-boomers, who saw their highest risk levels in Wyoming.
