Boomers vs Zoomers: Who are Queensland’s worst drivers?

With the release of the Road Trauma Australia’s 2022 Statistical Summary, another chapter in the endless and impossible debate over which generation is worse at driving has been written.

Let’s dive in, because despite our differences, who doesn’t love a bit of cherry picking, and a bit of finger pointing.

The Case Against Boomers

Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, are criticized for being too slow and overly cautious. Older and more experienced (and with their vast investment portfolios on their minds), other generations commonly argue that Boomers have slower reaction times and exhibit diminished vision or other health concerns that could affect their driving. Further, having grown up in the “good ole days”, Boomers can exhibit outdated driving habits, such as not using indicators properly or failing to check blind spots adequately.

The Case Against Zoomers

Gen Z, the Zoomers, on the other hand, are routinely criticised for driving too fast and driving whilst distracted, despite being their comparative inexperience behind the wheel. Obviously, with the proliferation of smartphones, younger drivers are more prone to engaging in dangerous behaviours like texting while driving or taking part in social media challenges behind the wheel (TikTok Car Crash Challenge, anyone?). Additionally, their limited driving experience may lead to poor judgment in both ordinary and hazardous situations, increasing the likelihood of accidents.

The Data

The Statistical Summary reveals the following:

• Of the 1,194 fatalities on Queensland roads in 2022:
  • 17 – 25-year-olds accounted for 230
  • 26 – 39-year-olds accounted for 270
  • 40 – 64-year-olds accounted for 377
  • 65 – 74-year-olds accounted for 117
  • 75+-year olds accounted for 135
• Of the 7,659 hospitalisations on Queensland roads in 2022:
  • 16 – 24-year-olds accounted for 2,436
  • 60 – 74-year-olds accounted for 1,475
  • 75+-year olds accounted for 560

So Who’s The Worst?

Obviously, painting a single generation as the “worst drivers” oversimplifies the myriad of factors that cause car accidents – road conditions, weather, mechanical failures, and individual driving behavior regardless of age. Furthermore, generalizations about any generation fail to account for the wide diversity within age groups. Not all Boomers drive cautiously, and not all Zoomers drive recklessly.

That said, the data shows that the younger generations are more involved in car crashes resulting in deathes and hospitalisations than older ones.

This conclusion would also seem to align closely with American data from the American Automobile Association (AAA) which reveals that drivers between the age of 16 – 25 have the highest crash ratings, whereas drivers aged 55 – 69 are the safest.

However you interpret the data, the one thing every generation can agree upon is that legal fees in Queensland have been too high for too long. At Claimwise, we’re proud to be the first and only personal injury law firm in Queensland whose missions is to save ours clients up to $10,000 or more on their legal fees. Will this heal the generational divide? Who’s to say!

1. https://www.bitre.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/road_trauma_2022.pdf
2. https://maic.qld.gov.au/publications/annual-ctp-scheme-insights-2022-23/
3. https://www.scartelli.com/what-age-group-is-involved-in-the-most-car-crashes/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20research%20brief,face%20the%20highest%20fatality%20rates.