The average American takes almost a thousand risks each year, according to new research.
From signing a document without reading it thoroughly to crossing the street without looking both ways or leaving the front door unlocked – Americans take an average of three risks every day, totaling 982 risks each year.
Walking on a wet floor, driving a car with very little gas left, and leaving the car door unlocked also made the 20 most common risks people regularly take the gamble on.
A new study of 2,000 Americans conducted by market researchers OnePoll on behalf of Identity Guard, the leader in identity theft monitoring in the USA and Canada, revealed the most commonly taken risks in daily life.
Signing a document without reading it and regularly agreeing to terms and conditions we aren't familiar with also featured high on the list of the risks we take most often.
In fact, eight in ten people admit to not reading terms and conditions before signing, things both on and offline.
The digital world carries many dangers we often open ourselves up to- opening emails from unknown sources and using unsecured Wi-Fi were regular daily risks.
Americans also confessed to falling for click bait articles, accidentally downloading software and 'oversharing' on social media.
From posting personal financial information to details about where they live or when and where they’re going - one in five have actually had to delete posts on social media because they worried they revealed too much personal information.
The results did indeed show that people are quicker to share sensitive financial information like their debit card number and pin with family and friends, than they are in sharing access to their email, video/music subscriptions, social media profiles, and cell phones.
“Americans are faced with risks, both big and small every day. When we set out to do this study we expected to see risks involving driving or password security, but we were surprised by the sheer number of “generic” risks taken on a yearly basis, especially those concerning financial information,” said Johan Roets, CEO of Identity Guard. “The results show us not only how often Americans are willing to face risks, but also how regularly they risk themselves and their personal information in one way or another.”
Results suggest we could be doing a lot more to tighten our security -while the average person reports having eight different passwords, 45 percent use the same passwords for more than one application - including for banking purposes and other important areas.
Three in ten respondents report either rarely or never changing their passwords, even though approximately half report suffering problems - either being hacked, scammed, or having their identity stolen.
Six in ten of the surveyed respondents do however feel they’ve become less risky as they grow older, with results showing that millennials are much more likely to take risks on a daily basis than those over 35.
54 percent of respondents have actively tried to improve their cyber and tech security in a bid to protect themselves.
Roets continued: “Many of the things we do each day can put us at more risk than we realize, whether it is physical harm or financial risk. And as our world becomes increasingly digital, those risks are growing tenfold. Which is why it’s important to not only be aware of the risks you’re exposed to, but how to protect yourself.”
TOP 20 MOST COMMON RISKS AMERICANS TAKE EVERYDAY
Walking on a wet floor
Eating while driving
Signing a document without reading all of it thoroughly
Accepting or agreeing to terms and conditions without reading them
Leaving car door unlocked
Driving with the gas light 'on' or tank near empty
Leaving home door unlocked
Not wearing a seatbelt
Opening emails from unknown sources
Riding a bike, motorcycle, scooter without a helmet
Throwing out documents with personal details, instead of shredding
Leaving an appliance on accidentally
Running down the stairs without holding the rail
Ignoring the check engine light
Texting while driving
Running stop signs/red lights
Leaving medication lying around
Using unsecured Wi-Fi
Living without a smoke/carbon monoxide detector
Crossing the street without looking both ways
***This double-opt in survey was conducted online within the U.S. by OnePoll a market research company and corporate member of ESOMAR and adheres to the MRS code of conduct. This survey was conducted on behalf of Identity Guard between December 20, 2016, and December 30, 2016 among 2,000 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample, and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For more information about OnePoll’s research in the media and complete survey methodology, navigate to their portfolio here: http://www.onepoll.com/in-the-media/
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