By Talker Staff
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 that speeding (less than 10 mph over the speed limit) is America’s worst driving habit, with 39% of Americans with a driver’s license admitting to doing so in the past month.
A further 14% admitted to speeding between 10 and 19 mph in the past month.
Nearly a third (29%) admitted to eating while driving in the past month, the second worst habit. With speeding up to a yellow light rounding the top three (22%).
While 94% of respondents considered themselves to be good drivers, 50% feel driving behavior has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic— while only 14% feel it’s gotten better.
Not only were drivers in Hawaii found to be the worst, they also admitted to it. Just 89% of drivers in Hawaii consider themselves to be good drivers, the lowest percentage nationwide.
Drivers in Virginia believe they’re the best drivers, with 99% claiming they’re good drivers. Despite this, Virginia is the 14th worst state for driving behaviors, according to the analysis.
Meanwhile, Tennessee ranks as the best state overall for the best driving behavior, with the best rank 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.
The results also found that men consider themselves to be better drivers than women, with 96% of men feeling this way compared to 94% of women.
According to the survey, texting while driving was revealed as the worst behavior drivers have witnessed others doing, with 40% encountering other drivers texting while driving regularly (several times in the past month).
Younger generations are more likely to text while driving, with 18% of Gen Zers and 22% of millennials admitting to doing so in the past month.
That compares with 11% of Gen Xers, 4% of baby boomers and 1% of the Silent Generation.
To see a complete breakdown of the data, check out the original report on Forbes Advisor.
Top 10 states with the worst driving habits
- Hawaii
- Oregon
- New Mexico
- Wyoming
- Alaska
- North Dakota
- Connecticut
- Vermont
- Kansas
- West Virginia
America’s top 5 worst driving habits
- Speeding less than 10 mph over the speed limit (39%)
- Eating while driving (29%)
- Speeding up to catch a yellow light (22%)
- Speeding 10-19 mph over the speed limit (14%)
- Texting while driving (12%)
Survey methodology:
This survey of 5,000 Americans with a driver’s license (100 in each state) 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).