Does the South have the worst drivers in the US? Here’s what a recent study says
If you are a frequent traveler or you have to commute for work, you’ve probably witnessed your fair share of the good, the bad and the downright ugly on the road.
From drivers that don’t use their blinkers to speeders to drivers on their phones, the list goes on and on.
Bad drivers are everywhere and when you’re on the road, you hope to stay safe and avoid them, right?
Well, a recent study by Stacker found the U.S. states with the worst drivers. How did Southern states rank? Let’s take a look.
How the South ranked
Are Southerners good drivers?
The Stacker researchers ranked four Southern states in the top 10 states with the worst drivers:
At number three on the list is South Carolina,
The fourth worst Southern state is Louisiana,
At number six is Texas,
And in eighth place overall is Mississippi.
Why Mississippi?
The study found that Mississippi has the third highest amount of miles traveled per person (13,849 miles) in the U.S., yet with that, the state has the third lowest rate of seat belt usage in the country (at 80% usage).
Likewise, Mississippi has the highest percentage of uninsured drivers (30%) of any state.
How’s Alabama doing?
Alabama drivers spend more time on the road than nearly every state. According to the survey, Alabamans drive about 15,788 annually. But, for all the miles driven, Alabama has the second lowest rate of DUI arrests.
What about the Peach State?
We’re pretty safe in Georgia.
In fact, Georgia ranked closer to the best driver side, coming in at the 15th safest state in the country.
More good news for Georgians: Georgia has the third highest rates in the country for seat belt usage.
Methodology
So, how did the study get its findings?
According to Stacker, the study compiled data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and other sources to rank the safest and most dangerous drivers in the U.S.
The study then looked at an overall driver score calculated from the categories of:
safe driving habits (observed safety belt use, distracted driving fatalities and unrestrained fatalities): 35% weight
safe driving choices (DUI fatalities, speeding fatalities and DUI arrests): 55% weight
percentage of drivers with auto insurance: 10% weight
The worst of the worst
Pro tip: if you see these plates on the road, slow down, turn or avoid at all costs.
Here are the top five states with the worst/most dangerous drivers in the country:
In first place: Montana
Second: New Mexico
Third: South Carolina
Fourth: Louisiana
Fifth: South Dakota
What do you think of this study? Leave us a comment below or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com
This story was originally published November 6, 2023 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Does the South have the worst drivers in the US? Here’s what a recent study says."
