Tesla owners are the worst. A new study reveals the most dangerous drivers in Georgia
Your favorite brand of car can predict how well you drive.
Sorry, Tesla drivers. You are the worst.
Online marketplace lending company, Lending Tree, used QuoteWizard analyzed insurance quotes across the U.S. to determine which states have the best and worst drivers according to reported incidents.
The 2024 analysis examined the number of incidents, including accidents, DUIs, speeding and citations for 30 popular car brands.
Tesla owners were the number one cause of mayhem on Georgia roads in 2024.
Tesla may dominate the electric car market, but they were still a small percentage of cars sold in Georgia in 2024. According to World Population Review, approximately 22,100 Tesla vehicles were sold in Georgia compared to the 495,732 other models of new vehicles.
Which cars have the worst drivers?
Tesla, we’re looking at you. Tesla drivers can pay anywhere from $40,000 to $116,000, but the sticker price has little to do with how safely their owners drive.
The top three models with the worst drivers:
Tesla had the highest incident rate in 19 states at 36.94 per 1000.
Ram came in a close second, with the most instances in 16 states and was involved in 31.13 incidents per 1000.
Subaru was a distant third at 33.92 per 1000 and ranked the worst in only six states.
Tesla drivers are the worst in Georgia as well, with the local incident numbers only slightly lower than the average at 34.69 per 1000.
Speed has an active role in causing accidents and has a significant influence in these rankings. The most inexpensive Tesla, a standard Model 3, can go from zero to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, while others can get there in 4 seconds or less.
Ram, at least, is doing better than last year, thanks to Tesla. Tesla took over the number one spot, bumping Ram to the number two spot. Meanwhile Subaru remains third worst, performing only slightly worse in the rankings in 2024 than 2023.
Shout out to Audi and Mazda drivers who rounded out the top five.
Who are the best drivers?
If you’re looking to be treated as precious cargo, Mercury drivers are your best bet. They ranked the safest two years running, with practically half of Tesla’s reported incidents.
Sadly, the Ford Motor Company phased out the Mercury brand in 2011, indicating a certain demographic for a Mercury owner. For instance, The New York Times reports that the Mercury Grand Marquis had an average buyer age of 67 years, among the oldest customer bases for any car in the United States.
In fact, all three models that scored the best have been labeled “cars old people drive,” says the financial news and opinion site, Wall Street 24/7
These are the top three models with the best drivers:
Mercury has the lowest incident rate at 18.663 per 1000, however, it increased from 15.82 in 2023.
Pontiac was also discontinued by General Motors (GM) in 2010, but its drivers only reported 19.72 incidents per 1000.
Cadillac did better than previous surveys, rising from fourth to third with 33.75 incidents per 1000.
The next safest models are Chrysler, Buick and Dodge, which do still produce cars in 2025.
People are creatures of habit, and will return to their favorites over and over. According to LexisNexis Risk Solutions, more than half (52.6%) of car shoppers were loyal to a car brand in 2024. Tesla, Ram and Subaru buyers may have some big decisions to make.
This has larger implications for the price of insurance. According to licensed insurance agent Rob Bhatt, it can have a significant impact on rates. He predicts, “The immediate impact [will be] on the individual. Most of these incidents are going to make your rates go up.”
What do you think? Do these numbers feel true? Email me at srose@ledger-enquirer.com or find me on Instagram. Even better, send me pics of your first (or favorite) car.
This story was originally published March 12, 2025 at 2:31 PM.
