Most Americans don't have several months of savings regardless of age. I agree that it's a bad sign, but it has a lot more to do with the current economic climate than individual behavior.
(Note median is lower than average but means 50% of people have more) So, having a few months savings is common close to retirement age for people who make above average wages. Scale that back to mid 30's and a few months savings is still common.
A 401k is also supposed to be able to provide you with an income resembling your at-retirement income for at least 10 years, which is obviously impossible if you only have 2.5x your at-retirement salary in it.