What state do you think has the worst drivers, and how do you make that determination?
Is it the state with the most speeding, or is it the state with the most drunk and careless drivers? What about those states with the most traffic citations?
One company used National Highway Traffic Safety Association data, combined all of these metrics, and then ranked each state by those numbers.
How did New Jersey stack up?
Be honest, you picked New Jersey as the state with the worst drivers, right? After all, it only takes a few minutes of driving around here to feel like you are in the Thunderdome.
However, according to the study by the website carinsurancecomparison.com, we actually have the safest drivers right here in the Garden State.
New Jersey has a lower rate of careless driving than any other state in the union. We also have some of the lowest rates of drunk driving and one of the lowest fatality rates in the United States.
So, if driving the roads of New Jersey feels like the Thunderdome, take solace in the fact that it may be worse in literally every other state.
What were the worst states?
There was a tie for the worst drivers between Texas and New Mexico. Texas had the highest rates of careless and speeding drivers, and an extremely high death rate for cyclists and pedestrians. A third of all fatal accidents in Texas involved speeding. Texas also had the highest rate of alcohol-related fatal accidents, at nearly 80%
New Mexico scored similarly with careless driving and had one of the worst car accident death rates in the United States. Indeed, New Mexico had the highest number of careless drivers of any state, and it is the most dangerous state to be a pedestrian or cyclist.
Grim realities
While those of us in New Jersey and New York may not like our roadways, as it turns out, our drivers are better than average.
However, this does not mean that driving on our roads is safe. On the contrary, driving is still the most dangerous activity you engage in, unless you have a particularly dangerous career.
Though, while making fun of our southern neighbors is fun, it does mask the grim reality that car accidents in every state are just a fact of life. If you are involved in a car accident, consider holding negligent drivers accountable through a personal injury lawsuit.
