According to research by Liberty Insurance, Ireland's Millennial drivers are more reliant on technology to stay safe on the road than other groups in society.
Younger drivers need tech to stay safe
With the usual caveats of applying sweeping statements to groups that aren't as homogenous as you'd like to think, let's break this down. Liberty's research shows that 21 per cent of Millennials (usually defined as those born between 1981 and 1996, but there are variations depending upon to whom you're speaking) are "very reliant or somewhat reliant on safety technology." The corresponding figure for 'Generation X' (typically those born between 1965 and 1980) is 18 per cent, while for 'Boomers' (those born in the 'baby boom' years following WWII) it's just 11 per cent.
Liberty's survey, of 992 Irish motorists and a total of 8,010 Western European and US motorists, found that 21 per cent of Irish millennials admit to being very or somewhat reliant on safety technology features including reversing cameras, automated emergency breaking, collision warning system and lane change assists when driving.
Ireland's Millennials better than UK's
Interestingly, that does mean that Ireland's Millennials compare well to their UK equivalents, where 23 per cent said that they rely on safety tech (15 per cent for GenX and five per cent for Boomers). In the US, the Millennial percentage that's reliant on safety technology is the same 23 per cent.
Amongst those surveyed in the Irish market, 43 per cent cited reverse cameras as extremely or very important, and a further 42 per cent claimed it was somewhat or slightly important. Only 15 per cent of those surveyed suggested it was not at all important. 39 per cent of Irish motorists cite automatic emergency braking as extremely or very important; 46 per cent consider it somewhat or slightly important; just 15 per cent indicate that it is not at all important. 38 per cent of Irish motorists cite collision warning systems as extremely or very important; 47 per cent consider it somewhat or slightly important; just 15 per cent indicate that it is not at all important. 38 per cent of Irish motorists cite blind-spot warning systems as extremely or very important; 46 per cent consider it somewhat or slightly important; just 16 per cent indicate that it is not at all important. 27 per cent of Irish motorists cite lane change assist as extremely or very important; 50 per cent consider it somewhat or slightly important; just 23 per cent indicate that it is not at all important.
Tech is welcome but can't be relied upon
According to Mairead Carty, Motor Product Manager of Liberty Insurance: "In the last decade we have seen significant advancements in road safety technology and these advancements are obviously to be welcomed given their capability to help make our roads safer. That said, it is important that motorists appreciate that this technology is not a shortcut to safe driving, but instead, a means of complementing existing safe driving behaviours.
"It will come as little surprise to learn that millennials are the generation of drivers most likely to rely on these new safety innovations as they have learnt to drive at a time when such features are increasingly commonplace. However, it is interesting to note that the differing behaviours between younger and older Irish motorists are not as marked as in other North American and Western European countries, including the US, UK, Spain, Portugal and France."