Allstate Insurance Company recently did a nationwide survey of teenage drivers (the worst kind) consisting of 1,063 people and found out some not-so-surprising facts.
Of the teenage females surveyed, 48% said they were "likely to drive 10 miles per hour over the speed limit". 16% admitted to being aggressive drivers. On the other hand, only 36% of males admitted the same (liars).
Speeding is important, no doubt, but that's been happening for ages. Let's look at something more contemporary (and able to be resolved through technology): texting and talking on cell phones. Girls took that one home at over 50%, while 38% of boys said they would.
The Allstate Foundation's Meghann Dowd said these answers were "a surprise to many people". Frankly, I don't see how (unless you've been living under a rock).
Another unsurprising response to the survey was that teens were ratting each other out, saying their friends are worse, MOM! Then there were confidence levels at 65%, feeling unsafe with friends driving at 77%, and 23% saying their own kind (teens) are safe on the road.
"This suggests teens recognize in their friends the dubious and dangerous behavior they won't admit to indulging in themselves." Hey, it didn't happen if you didn't get caught, right?
Stacy Sharpe, Allstate's assistant vice president for federal affairs, says that there may be more behind this speeding than meets the eye. "Younger women] are taking on more risks in all aspects of their lives," which could be representative of a growing social shift in "the way girls view themselves and their aspirations."
As far as numbers go, all you need to know for dinner conversation with the neighbors is that the male/female driving quality gap is closing and that auto accidents involving teens are ever-decreasing, even in the face of all this scary mobile technology coming our way.
Allstate said it would not use the information learned to rate teen drivers, and if you believe that I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you.
By Phil Alex
Via: WSJ & Allstate
