When you need to change a tire, your best bet may be to find someone from Gen X. According to an original study
by super-app Jerry
, the demographic following the Baby Boomers are capable and ready to help you when you’re in a pinch. Who has the best roadside skills?
With an endless supply of driver-assist and safety features on the latest vehicles, it’s easy to forget simple life skills that can prove more than useful when we’re in a bind.
However, “with younger generations, especially millennials, buying fewer cars than older generations, the prevalence of basic car skills and the ability to handle road mishaps, such as a flat tire, might appear to be waning,” notes PR Newswire
. But being able to put on a spare tire to make it to a mechanic will come in handy time and time again, as about 80% of Americans will experience a flat tire.
According to an original study by Jerry, “81% of Gen X drivers know how to change a tire without help from the Internet or manual.” And 72% of Baby Boomers can change one, followed by 65% of Millennials, and 52% of Gen Z-ers.
However, 82% of American men claim to know how to change a tire, while only 58% of women claim the same. More women than men (29%) call a friend or family member to help. Only 9% of men reach out for assistance.
Gen-X is also up there in the ranks for quickly passing their road tests.
Jerry notes that “73% of all Americans passed their road test on the first try, while 19% failed once and the rest more than once. The percentage of first-time passes has decreased over the years at 85% for Baby Boomers, 78% for Gen X, and 64% for both Millennials and Gen Z.”
New findings from a Copper Tires survey
Most Americans say they can change a tire, according to a recent survey by Copper Tires. And new findings show less of a gap between generations.
Surprisingly, younger citizens like Millenials and Gen X-ers are more likely to say that they know how to change a tire. According to PR Newswire, “78% of Gen Xers and 77% of Millennials say they can change a tire, compared to 71% of Baby Boomers, 70% of Gen Z, and 67% of the Silent & Greatest Generations.”
There was also speculation if being right or left-handed made a difference. So far, no. “74% of both righties and lefties say they know how to change a tire—no other subgroup produced a tie,” PR Newswire notes.
Preparing yourself with roadside skills is definitely still on people’s minds. In fact, about 80% will go as far as making a New Years' resolution to learn how to change a tire.
According to PR Newswire, “Respondents who ‘always’ or ‘sometimes’ keep their resolutions are very likely to know how to change a tire (92% and 83%, respectively), while those who never keep their resolutions fall back to 72%—roughly the same number as those who don't make resolutions at all.”
Food and drink preferences affect your skills
Researchers even contemplated if hot beverage preferences could make an impact. Coffee drinkers beat out tea drinkers by a small margin. The survey found that 75% of coffee lovers are more tire-change savvy versus 70% of tea fans. If you like both, you’re up in the 79% range.
Food choices have also proved to be a deciding factor. Who would have thought that 70% of doughnut enthusiasts would know how to change a tire, compared to 70% of people reaching for a bagel.
Interestingly enough, 81% of those who prefer ketchup and mustard on their hotdogs are apt at changing tires. Plain hot dog lovers fall behind with their knowledge at a 65% rate.
So at your next family BBQ, be sure to load up on the condiments, grab an iced coffee, and plenty of doughnuts for dessert.
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