For anyone who has ever been stuck in traffic around here, it may feel like we have some of the worst drivers in the United States. However, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, Pennsylvania does not even break the top 10 states with the worst drivers.
The metrics
The website carinsurancecomparison.com used the NHTSA data to break down bad driving into five categories. These include each state’s car accident death rate, citations for failures to obey traffic laws, incidents of careless and drunk driving, and speeding.
The top 10
At spot 10 is Nevada, where almost a third of fatal car accidents involved speeding. Next is Oregon, which also had nearly a third of its fatal car crashes involve speeding. Spot 8 goes to Arizona. Hawaii and Alabama tied at 6 and 7. Louisiana took the next spot, followed by South Carolina and Montana (tied). Finally, the top 2 states with the worst drivers tied for first: Texas and New Mexico.
What about Pennsylvania?
Out in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, readers are likely wondering where we rank. You will be happy to note that while we have a bit of a speeding problem in our state, we rank as one of the safer states. Pennsylvania was number 30 on the list.
Key takeaways from the numbers
Surprisingly, none of the states on the list were in the Northeast region. While New England and New York may get a bad rap, they were not in the top 10.
Sadly, this doesn’t mean the roads of Pennsylvania are totally safe. If you find yourself the victim of a car accident, remember a personal injury attorney can advise you of your options.