It’s no secret that the road becomes a battleground between the different generations, each claiming to be the superior driver. But when it comes to seniors and younger drivers, there’s a distinct divide. Many seniors find themselves cringing at the habits of millennial drivers, including distractions caused by technology and their distinct driving styles. Here are a few reasons why seniors have a hard time trusting the new generation behind the wheel.

Distracted Driving

One of the biggest concerns seniors have is the rampant use of smartphones while driving. Millennials, often seen texting, scrolling through social media, or adjusting their navigation apps, can appear dangerously distracted. This is not just an annoyance but a serious safety concern for seniors.

Speeding and Tailgating

Many millennials are accused of treating the speed limit as a suggestion rather than a rule. They tend to drive faster and follow other vehicles too closely, which can be nerve-wracking for seniors who prefer a more cautious approach. The older drivers often view speeding and tailgating as risks that could easily lead to accidents.

Impatience at Intersections

Intersections are a common area where the differences between generations become most apparent. Seniors are more deliberate and careful, ensuring they have ample time to make turns or proceed through lights. On the other hand, millennials might honk, make quick decisions, or aggressively maneuver through intersections.

Over-Reliance on Technology

GPS and other navigational aids have become second nature for younger drivers. For seniors, this reliance on technology can be perplexing. They grew up learning to find their way using paper maps, asking for directions, or simply by memory. To them, the younger generation’s dependence on technology suggests a lack of real driving skills and adaptability.

Music and Noise Levels

Millennials often drive with the music turned up high, favoring heavy bass and energetic beats that can be heard from several cars away. So, for elderly people who generally prefer a focused driving environment, this is another point of disagreement. They see loud music as a distraction that can reduce a driver’s ability to hear important sounds.

Driving with One Hand

The relaxed driving style of younger drivers, with one hand on the wheel and the other on their lap or texting, drives seniors up the wall. This habit feels not only casual but careless to older drivers who were taught the “10 and 2” hand position as the gold standard for control and safety.

Parking Challenges

Parking, especially parallel parking, is another area where seniors find fault with younger drivers. Millennials are sometimes seen as being less skilled at fitting into tight spots, often taking multiple attempts or even giving up on challenging spaces. This contrasts sharply with the meticulous approach of many older drivers.

Ignoring Traffic Rules

Quick U-turns and pushing through yellow lights are common complaints from seniors against younger lots. Such a flexible attitude towards road rules is at odds with the more rigid, rule-abiding approach of older drivers, who see these behaviors as clear-cut examples of reckless driving.

Road Rage

Although it is not exclusive to any one age group, millennials are perceived as more openly expressive of their frustrations while driving. Whether it’s aggressive honking, swearing, or visible gesturing, this kind of behavior can make seniors feel unsafe or anxious. Older drivers typically prefer a more composed demeanor on the road.

Car Customizations

To older drivers, modifications like underglow lights, loud exhausts, and modified sound systems are unnecessary distractions and too extravagant. They value function in their vehicles, seeing flashy modifications as impractical and potentially hazardous if they draw attention away from the road or impair vehicle performance.

Inexperienced in Bad Weather

Senior drivers often feel that younger drivers lack the experience necessary to handle difficult driving conditions, such as snow, ice, or heavy rain. Having spent decades navigating through all types of weather, they have developed a set of skills and instincts that they feel millennials might lack.

Following Too Closely

Seniors are big advocates of maintaining a safe following distance, giving themselves ample space to react to unexpected stops or changes in traffic flow. However, they complain that younger drivers are notorious for tailgating, which increases the risk of rear-end collisions and puts pressure on the driver ahead.

Rolling Stops

The rolling stop—where a driver slows down but doesn’t come to a complete stop at a stop sign—is a minor infraction that can have major consequences. For those who grew up strictly adhering to traffic laws, such behavior is seen as careless and indicative of a broader disregard for safety protocols.

Driving Under Stress

Millennials often lead busy, high-stress lives, balancing work, social commitments, and other activities that can lead to driving while fatigued or stressed. Seniors see this as another form of impaired driving, which equates it with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Multitasking Madness

Eating a meal, sipping coffee, or even doing makeup while driving are all behaviors that seniors find perplexing and hazardous. Millennials’ tendency to multitask behind the wheel can feel like a blatant disregard for the seriousness of driving, further widening the generational divide.