According to LendingTree’s latest analysis, updated in the middle of November, certain Northeast states land high on the list for the worst drivers in the nation. 

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

Bad drivers are everywhere, but a new study reveals some states are home to more dangerous motorists than others.

According to LendingTree’s latest analysis, updated in the middle of November, certain Northeast states land high on the list for the worst drivers in the nation. The study measured accidents, DUIs, speeding, and citations per 1,000 drivers from Nov. 5, 2023, through Nov. 4, 2024.

Massachusetts tops the rankings with 61.1 incidents per 1,000 drivers — the highest in the country. The Bay State also has the nation’s only accident rate above 40.0, at 44.4 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Massachusetts is tied with New Jersey for the fifth-lowest speeding-related incident rate at 1.3, but it still stands out for accidents.

Rhode Island follows closely behind at No. 2, with 60.6 incidents per 1,000 drivers. The state ties with California for the second-highest accident rate at 39.7. California, ranked third, also has the second-highest DUI rate at 3.5 per 1,000 drivers and a total incident rate of 55.0.

New Jersey rounds out the top five, with 45.8 incidents per 1,000 drivers. It also ranks fifth for accident rates (30.4) and DUI rates (2.5), but ties with Massachusetts for the fifth-best speeding-related incident rate.

Here are the top 10 states with the worst drivers, as per the survey:

  1. Massachusetts (61.1)
  2. Rhode Island (60.6)
  3. California (55.0)
  4. District of Columbia (54.6)
  5. New Jersey (45.8)
  6. North Carolina (39.6)
  7. Washington (37.4)
  8. Maryland (34.9)
  9. North Dakota (34.7)
  10. Utah (32.1)

Pennsylvania ranks 15th (27.6), New York is 20th (24.2), Connecticut 21st (23.8), and Virginia 23rd (23.3).

At the other end of the spectrum, Arkansas claims the title for best drivers, with just 14.7 incidents per 1,000 drivers. 

The 10 states with the best drivers are:

  1. Arkansas
  2. Michigan
  3. Vermont
  4. Kentucky
  5. Oklahoma
  6. Tennessee
  7. New Hampshire, 
  8. West Virginia, 
  9. Nebraska,
  10.  Missouri

LendingTree auto insurance expert Rob Bhatt explained how location can impact premiums.

“Individually, a driver with an incident on their record is going to pay more for insurance than someone with a clean record,” Bhatt said. “For example, a speeding ticket raises car insurance rates by an average of 23 percent nationwide.”

He added, “When you compare one state’s car insurance to those in another state, factors like insurance requirements and regulations also have big impacts on car insurance rates. That’s mainly why you don’t always see a direct correlation between differences in crash rates and insurance rates from state to state.”