So you’re cruising along the highway and happen to look at the car next to you. Its driver is doing a full wardrobe swap! According to a recent study, they might not be an outlier. According to Life360, 50% of Gen Z drivers admit to doing their makeup—or swapping their clothes—while driving their car.

Gen Z drivers juggle fashion and phones behind the wheel

Life360’s latest Distracted Driving Report reveals that over 50% of Gen Z drivers admit to changing clothes or applying makeup while driving. Additionally, 42% confess to watching online videos, and 37% scroll through social media behind the wheel.

These behaviors aren’t just quirky—they’re dangerous. Life360’s analysis, based on over 60 billion data points and a survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers, highlights the prevalence of digital distractions among all generations, with Gen Z leading the pack. And in a previous study by the National Academy of Sciences, researchers found that 90% of recent crashes involve errors by both drivers—not just one.

Tech aids can’t replace attentive driving

Modern vehicles come equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems like automatic emergency braking (AEB). But these technologies have limitations, and Gen Z’s high accident rates may come from trusting this software too much.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that even the best AEB systems struggle to prevent collisions at speeds over 37 mph, especially with smaller objects like motorcycles—or larger ones like semi trucks. Avoiding a pedestrian at night? Forget about it. In many fatal crashes involving driver-assist technologies, obstacles were visible for 10 seconds or more—ample time for a human driver to react. However, over-reliance on technology led to tragic outcomes.

While multitasking might seem efficient, the road demands our full attention. The revelation that a significant portion of Gen Z drivers engage in risky behaviors like changing clothes while driving should serve as a wake-up call for all of us. It’s crucial to remember that no outfit change or social media update is worth endangering lives. Let’s commit to safer driving habits and keep our focus where it belongs—on the road.