Gen Z scared of DRIVING: Car phobias leave youngsters terrified

"It's something many people do on a daily basis without thinking twice about it. But a new survey has revealed how driving is leaving many Gen Z absolutely petrified. Experts from Tempcover surveyed youngsters about the common motoring tasks they find the most daunting. Changing a flat tyre was the biggest fear, while parallel parking, hill starts, and merging onto a motorway were also found to terrify hundreds of young drivers."

"'POV: the panic suddenly sets in when you're about to drive somewhere new and you don't know the parking situation,' @artemis_alexis said. @romillyjane posted a video from her car, venting: 'People always think I'm being dramatic, but this is awful. Hate it, hate it, hate it.' And @loulroberts added: 'I've never even been close to a motorway. Even if I'm on a roundabout and one of the exits is a motorway, I get panicky.'"

"For the survey, the researchers enlisted 2,000 participants, who were quizzed about their views on various driving habits. Changing a tyre was the task Gen Z feared most, followed by jump-starting the car, and parallel parking. In fact, their fear is so acute that nearly half (45 per cent) of Gen Z say they'd rather drive further away and walk for 10 minutes than to even attempt parallel parking."

"Other basic tasks feared by Gen Z include filling up tyres, checking oil levels, and even using a car wash - which filled 12 per cent with dread. Aside from affecting driving itself, this fear is also having a tangible impact on Gen Z's employment, according to Tempcover. More than one in 10 said they'd missed a dream job because they were too scared to drive, while 10 per cent have turned down a promotion that would require more time on the road."

A survey of 2,000 Gen Z participants found widespread anxiety about common driving tasks. Changing a flat tyre was the top fear, followed by jump-starting, parallel parking, hill starts, and merging onto motorways. Nearly 45 per cent said they'd rather park further away and walk for ten minutes than attempt parallel parking. Other basic tasks such as filling tyres, checking oil, and using a car wash induced dread in many, with 12 per cent dreading car washes. More than one in ten reported missing a dream job due to driving fears, and 10 per cent turned down promotions requiring more time on the road. TikTok posts from young drivers illustrate this anxiety.

Read at Mail Online