Which States Have the Worst Driving Habits?

Michael Dinich | Wealth of Geeks The Associated Press

Drivers in Hawaii have the worst driving habits, followed by those in Oregon and New Mexico, according to a new survey.

Hawaii sits atop the list of the worst states for driving behavior. Motorists there rank first for changing lanes or turning without signaling, speeding 20 mph or more over the limit and running a red light.

The survey of 5,000 drivers — 100 in each state — conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Forbes Advisor, found speeding less than 10 mph over the speed limit is America’s worst driving habit. 39% of Americans with a driver’s license admit to doing so in the past month.

Another 14% admit they exceeded the speed limit by 10 to 19 miles per hour in the past month.

Nearly a third (29%) admit they ate while driving in the past month, the second worst habit. Racing up to a yellow light (22%) rounds out the top three poor traffic habits.

While 94% of respondents considered themselves to be good drivers, 50% feel driving behavior has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic. 14% feel like their driving has improved since the lockdowns.

The survey indicates drivers in Hawaii are the worst, and they agree! Only 89% of drivers in Hawaii consider themselves to be good drivers, the lowest percentage nationwide.

99% of drivers in Virginia claim they’re the best drivers. That’s hard to believe when Virginia ranks as the 14th worst state for driving behaviors, according to the analysis.

Meanwhile, Tennessee positions itself as the best state overall for the best driving behavior. The state holds the highest standard for speeding less than 10 mph over the limit and 20 mph or more over the limit.

Ohio ranks as the next best state for driving behavior, followed by Pennsylvania and Florida.

96% of men consider themselves to be better drivers than women. On the other hand, 94% of women think they’re better drivers than men.

Texting while driving lands on the survey as the worst behavior drivers have witnessed others doing — 40% of those surveyed say they encounter other drivers texting while driving regularly. That is, several times in the past month.

Younger generations are more likely to text while driving. 18% of Gen Z and 22% of millennials admit they’ve done just that in the past month. Compare that to 11% of Gen Xers, 4% of baby boomers and 1% of the Silent Generation.

Top 10 States With the Worst Driving Habits

  1. Hawaii
  2. Oregon
  3. New Mexico
  4. Wyoming
  5. Alaska
  6. North Dakota
  7. Connecticut
  8. Vermont
  9. Kansas
  10. West Virginia

America’s Top 5 Worst Driving Habits

  1. Speeding less than 10 mph over the speed limit (39%)
  2. Eating while driving (29%)
  3. Speeding up to catch a yellow light (22%)
  4. Speeding 10-19 mph over the speed limit (14%)
  5. Texting while driving (12%)

Survey Methodology:

This survey of 100 Americans with a driver’s license in each of the 50 states who are at least age 18 was conducted by market research company Talker Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from June 24 to July 3, 2024.

The margin of error is ± 1.4 points with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).

Copyright 2024 Wealth of Geeks