As mentioned, I think the drops aren't used as much because bikes arent set up for the majority of riders to comfortably use them.

I have my bikes set up so I can use all parts of the bars, but that means I use shallow drop bars and have them set a bit higher than what looks cool.
Saddle to bar drop still exists, but the stem definitely isn't slammed.
I need to use all parts of the bars for hand and back comfort. Adjusting positions thru rides helps reduce fatigue, even if the change is just for half a mile or so at a time.


My wife doesnt use the drops, but she loves her road bike because her hands hold the hoods more naturally than a flat bar. Our hands fall with palms facing sideways, so holding STIs is naturally more comfortable. Even though the drops arent used, on drop bars there are still multiple hand positions- hoods, ramps, and tops- and that's 3x more than a flat bar.