A new and concerning generational divide has emerged on the roads, with a significant proportion of Generation Z holding alarmingly relaxed views on drink-driving compared to their elders.
A Dangerous Perception Shift Among Young Drivers
The stark findings come from a major poll of over 2,000 people, including approximately 1,300 drivers, conducted by the insurer Direct Line. It revealed that 38 per cent of young people aged 18 to 27 believe it has become more socially acceptable to drive while marginally over the legal alcohol limit. This contrasts sharply with just 21 per cent of other age groups and a mere 9 per cent of Baby Boomers who share this view.
This gap in attitudes extends to fundamental safety principles. While an overwhelming 92 per cent of Boomers agree it is best not to drink anything before driving, only 64 per cent of Gen Z hold the same conviction. Furthermore, nearly half (48 per cent) of Gen Z respondents who thought it safe to drive after drinking claimed to understand the legal limits, yet a startlingly low 12 per cent could actually identify them correctly.
Misplaced Confidence and Justifications
The research uncovered specific justifications used by young drivers who admitted to getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. One in five stated they did so "because it was only a short distance", demonstrating a dangerous misunderstanding of risk. Adding to the concern, a third (32 per cent) believe they should be solely responsible for judging their own fitness to drive, despite the proven impairing effects of alcohol on judgement itself.
This misplaced confidence exists even though the vast majority of adults (80 per cent) acknowledge you may not be safe to drive even if you are under the legal drink-drive limit. Agreement with this crucial point drops to just two-thirds (67 per cent) among Gen Z.
Matt Pernet, head of motor insurance at Direct Line, labelled the attitudes displayed by the youngest cohort of drivers as "extremely worrying". He pointed to a clear "gap in their understanding, especially regarding how alcohol affects the body and what the legal limits really mean," a gap made more dangerous by their relative inexperience on the road.
A Contradictory Trend and Looming Legal Changes
These findings present a stark contradiction to the widely reported trend of Generation Z consuming significantly less alcohol overall than older generations. It suggests that while their drinking habits may be changing, their risk assessment concerning driving has not progressed in line.
The urgency of the issue is underscored by Direct Line's own data, which shows that 35 per cent of all drink-driving related collisions involve a driver under the age of 30.
The government is poised to address road safety in a major overhaul of driving rules, the first in nearly 20 years, with a new strategy expected in the new year. Reports indicate this could include a reduction of the drink-drive limit in England and Wales from the current 35 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of breath to 22 micrograms, a change that would bring it in line with Scotland.
This potential tightening of the law highlights the critical need for improved education, particularly among new drivers, to bridge the dangerous understanding gap revealed by this survey.
