Audio By Carbonatix
On any given street or highway in America, someone’s probably doing something they shouldn’t. It might be texting, digging through a bag on the passenger floor, or coasting a few too many inches past the stop sign. Despite all the signage, traffic laws, and public safety campaigns, it turns out a lot of drivers have a selective relationship with the rules of the road.
The most common offense isn’t aggressive or flashy: it’s lunch
A recent national driver survey revealed that 67% of people admitted to eating or drinking behind the wheel in the past year.
That simple act, often dismissed as harmless multitasking, ranked as the top self-reported traffic violation.
The reality: one hand on a soda means one less hand on the wheel when it matters most.
Speeding came in second, with 62% of respondents saying they drove over the posted limit at least once last year
That number held across all age groups. Gen X drivers were the worst offenders, with about 67% admitting they sped. But even Gen Z, supposedly the most rule-following generation, had 54% saying they did the same.
Then come the rolling stops
More than a third of drivers fessed up to coasting through stop signs. And nearly one in five admitted to making illegal turns at red lights.
These are the kinds of casual infractions that rarely get noticed until they lead to a crash or ticket.
Technology played its role, too
Nearly 40% of drivers said they talked on the phone without Bluetooth. Another 33% admitted to texting while driving.
Younger drivers were far more likely to do both. Millennials led the charge on texting, with 49% saying they did it at least once last year.
Seatbelt violations made the list as well
About 20% of all drivers said they’d skipped buckling up at some point in the last year. Among Gen Z drivers, that number jumped to 33%.
Next are outright illegal conditions
9% of drivers admitted to not having valid insurance. Another 9% had overly tinted windows, and a smaller bunch admitted to overcrowding their cars beyond legal limits. Once again, Gen Z led both of those categories.
These findings come from a FinanceBuzz survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers. They wanted to understand which traffic laws get broken the most, and who’s doing the breaking. The data makes one thing clear: Traffic laws aren’t just suggestions, but many Americans treat them like they come with footnotes.
For drivers already playing fast and loose, the only thing worse than a ticket might be getting caught uninsured.
