The Worst Drivers by State (and D.C.)

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

  5,200 drivers were polled by GMAC insurance, and scores were averaged by state out of 100 points.



1. (WORST) New York - 70.0
2. New Jersey - 70.5
3. Dist. of Columbia - 71.9
4. California - 73.3
5. Rhode Island - 73.8
6. Louisiana - 74.1
7. West Virginia - 74.8
8. Hawaii - 74.8
9. New Hampshire - 74.9
10. Kentucky - 74.9
11. Florida - 75.2
12. Mississippi - 75.6
13. Pennsylvania - 75.8
14. Massachusetts - 75.8
15. North Carolina - 75.9
16. Arkansas - 75.9
17. Texas - 76.0
18. Connecticut - 76.3
19. Illinois - 76.6
20. Georgia - 76.7
21. Alabama - 77.1
22. South Carolina - 77.2
23. New Mexico - 77.3
24. Virginia - 77.5
25. Ohio - 77.5
26. Maine - 77.6
27. Delaware - 77.6
28. Colorado - 77.8
29. Utah- 77.9
30. Vermont - 78.1
31. Nevada - 78.1
32. Maryland - 78.2
33. Tennessee - 78.3
34. Wyoming - 78.4
35. Arizona - 78.5
36. Missouri - 78.8
37. Michigan - 79.0
38. North Dakota - 79.1
39. Oklahoma - 79.3
40. Wisconsin - 79.4
41. Washington - 79.4
42. Alaska - 79.8
43. Montana - 80.0
44. Idaho - 80.1
45. Indiana - 80.4
46. Nebraska - 80.5
47. Iowa - 80.8
48. Minnesota - 81.1
49. South Dakota - 81.2
50. Oregon - 82.1
51. (BEST) Kansas 82.3

[9Ball]

We're #2 but we try harder.....

[Doc Moose]

It would be interesting to see what the criterion was for the scores awarded. 

Indiana was listed at 45 and I have seen a LOT of bonehead drivers here!

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

We're #2 but we try harder.....

I was amazed to see Tennessee at # 33....I have no doubt whoever they polled has never been to Crashville ( Nashville ) in the morning or evening hours.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

It would be interesting to see what the criterion was for the scores awarded. 

Indiana was listed at 45 and I have seen a LOT of bonehead drivers here!

GMAC's sixth annual survey quizzed more than 5,200 licensed Americans from across the country on their driving knowledge and New York drivers fared the worst for the second year in a row, with an average score of 70 percent. That's more than six percentage points below the national average score of 76.2 percent. New Jersey residents shouldn't laugh too loudly at their neighbor's expense. Garden State drivers finished second to last. Kansas, on the other hand, proved to be the best place to drive with a score of 82.3 percent. Oregon, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska drivers were also among the best performers on the survey.
Overall, though, the findings were pretty dismal. The study found that "nearly 1 in 5 licensed drivers -- roughly 38 million Americans -- would not pass a written drivers test exam if taken today." A whopping 85 percent could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light (hint: it involves the brake pedal). Many drivers also remained uncertain about safe following distances.

[Jack]

Face it.  Bone head drivers are everywhere.  I can vouch for Arkansas and Louisiana.

[MP]

I think it is time for all states to get rid of the "license for life" mentality.  I believe make licenses good for 5 years, and then you need to retake the whole thing.  Just like you never had a license.  If you cannot pass a pathetically simple test like that, then you do not deserve to be on the road.

AARP, the old folks lobby, will never go for it.  They want to be sure Grandpa can keep driving, even if he cannot see, read, or hear.

And, I say that, getting up in age myself.

MP

[Doc Moose]

Many drivers also remained uncertain about safe following distances.

No chit!  I am constantly amazed by the tailgating that some people will do when you drive down the street.  Really nerve racking when conditions aren't good (snow).  Guess they never heard of the "1 car length per 10mph" rule.

[Hoser]

Kansas best.  It's cause we got no curves, right?       hoser
 
Sun rises are nice, though.

[MP]

hoser,

Looks like you stole MY roads!

MP in ND

[Hoser]

Naw, this pic was taken in May.  No snow in it!  hoser

[MP]

Yeah, we got some snow in May!

MP

[1fastbob]

Kansas best.  It's cause we got no curves, right?       hoser
 
Sun rises are nice, though.

That looks alot like K-150 east of Marion. Right or wrong?

Bob

[Jabba]

My recent one say trip from Virginia thru West Virginia and KY onto Indiana disagrees.  I liked the drivers in Virginia and West Virgina, and the Ky ones were worse.  But the Indiana contingent was the worst by far, for me on the bike.

Jabba

[Oss]

Possible reasons why NY was #1

Drivers from South and Central America cant read English

Taxi Drivers only read moslem writing except for the Russians who read cyrillic alphabet

Most color blind riders  Red is Green  to most of them

Highways and roads where 3 lanes become 2 become 1 without signs (ever been on the Bruckner?)

Cross Bronx Expressway takes 5 major highways moving 2 directions and funnels into 3 lanes while forcing all trucks to move LEFT immediately after signs warning no trucks allowed in left lane
(Take the Tappan Zee bridge instead of the George Washington or cross at I84 if going to New England)

BIG MUTHA POTHOLES

Pothole installation crews moving across all roads without warnings

AM RADIO Stations that supposedly have traffic every 10 minutes that go hours without mentioning the traffic jam you have been sitting in since breakfast 4 hours ago

Women and girls applying makeup while texting

Men looking at their phones to get stock ticker info

Drivers who enter the highway and immediately cross into the left lane on 3 and 4 lane highways and then go 40 mph

and the #1 reason

Holding up the middle finger is a good way to provoke gunfire leading to more traffic jams

[Momz]

I've seen some truely horrible drivers in Chiago, Boston, and in NYC.
But to really appreciate "Bad Driving", please come to metro Detroit.
By that I mean Dearborn/Dearborn Hts., MI. We have the largest Arabic population outside of the middle east. I'm generalizing here, but there are more boneheads in their BMWs, Lexuses, MBs, etc that woild not even think to drive a car without a textable phone.

I recently replaced my old phone and was shown several models that I could get a free upgrade on. The salesman pointed out a perticular "LG" phone that was his current best seller, because "it is the easiest to text while driving". Yes,....this sales associate was middle eastern and the store was in Dearborn.

Driving around here is not transportation,.....but rather a game of chance.

[fudgie]

We're #2 but we try harder.....

I was amazed to see Tennessee at # 33....I have no doubt whoever they polled has never been to Crashville ( Nashville ) in the morning or evening hours.

10-4 on that! I been thru a few big cities on the Valk and Nashville sucked ass. Plus I was pulling trailer. Never again!

[fstsix]

WT? Rhode Island #5   I thought we were still # 1 Hey we are proud of this record!!!!......but i am Sure we are # 1 in State corruption  

[Hoser]

Kansas best.  It's cause we got no curves, right?       hoser
 
Sun rises are nice, though.

That looks alot like K-150 east of Marion. Right or wrong?

Bob

Bingo, Bob!  hoser

[f-Stop]

I'm surprised Texas scored as well as 17th.  I figured we'd be in the top 10!

Have driven in NY, NY and all I can say is, "You're not in Kansas anymore" when you hit those streets!

[big turkey]

I am glad you cleared the Yellow Light thing up for me.

Road for years with my Mom, when I was a wee one.

I thought she had it right when She Said Green Means go Fast and Red Means Stop and

Yellow meant Go Like Hell.

Well you learn these things at a young age , It's hard to retrain yourself.

But these new red light cameras will get you on the straight and narrow right quick.

Big AL

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My recent one say trip from Virginia thru West Virginia and KY onto Indiana disagrees.  I liked the drivers in Virginia and West Virgina, and the Ky ones were worse.  But the Indiana contingent was the worst by far, for me on the bike.

Jabba

I couldn’t agree more. At least as far as tailgating, rudeness and NASCAR mentality, Indiana is the worst I’ve rode in. When I’ve ridden down South (God’s Country as Joe says) on the rural roads slower moving traffic pulls over and waves you around. Not so in Indiana.

Here, the average cager will slow down in the “no passing zones” and then quickly speed up to prevent you from passing when they get to a passing zone. WTH? Do they just want to feel like a leader? It’s not too big an issue when I’m on the Valk but it’s a deal killer when I have to drive the S10. I’ve got to roll the windows up to prevent drag and shut-off the radio to increase HP to pass a car under the best of conditions. If they don’t cooperate then I’m doomed to stare at their taillights and be late for work.

Another thing about Indiana drivers is that if there are only two cars within 5 miles of each other, one of them will be tailgating the other. Again, WTH? When you’re in the city and there is not enough road for all the cagers it’s one thing. But when they’re the only two cars on a deserted rural highway, why is one tailgating the other one? I don’t get it but it happens all the time here.

Then we’ve gpt the tri-axle dump trucks hauling sand, gravel, coal and rocks without covering the load. I’ve had a windshield broken on a 550 Honda by a huge chunk of coal which fell out of an approaching truck. I’ve been hit with large rocks falling out of them in the dark on my way to work. Their speed plus my speed means those rocks HURT!

I can forgive an honest mistake from a driver, I’m human too. But the A holes who are poor drivers because they want to be poor drivers are unforgivable.