Third of Gen Zers think it’s socially acceptable to drink and drive
Would you get in your mate’s car after a couple of pints down the pub – or book an Uber home instead?
According to Gen Z drivers, getting behind the wheel after drinking alcohol has become more socially acceptable.
Nearly four in 10 young motorists (38%) believe driving while ‘marginally’ over the legal limit is okay, a survey published on Friday has found.
The results have led to claims that drivers aged between 18 and 27 have ‘not got the message’ about the dangers of getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.
Gen Z drivers were found to be more likely to trust their own judgement over whether they were safe to drive after drinking – with a third (32%) agreeing the decision should be theirs to take.
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But Matt Pernet, head of Direct Line Motor Insurance, said: ‘Personal judgment is an unreliable source when it comes to knowing if you are safe to drive, especially as many adults cannot correctly identify the legal limits.
‘Therefore, seeing in the results that a third of Gen Z think that they should be able to judge for themselves if they are safe to drive is extremely worrying.’
He said that Government data from 2023 showed 35% of drink-driving collisions involved a driver under the age 30, adding that the ‘gap’ in Gen Z’s understanding is ‘worrying’.
Friday’s survey by Direct Line revealed a generational divide, with almost half (48%) of adults believing it is not socially acceptable to drink-drive at all.
And a poll by the RAC on Tuesday found the majority of UK drivers support a crackdown, with 82% saying they think tougher measures are needed to tackle drivers who drink before getting behind the wheel.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander is reportedly considering cutting the drink-drive limit in England and Wales as part of the upcoming road safety strategy.
The limit may be reduced from 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms, as is the law in Scotland.
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