The Worst Drivers in America Are Found in Massachusetts

There seems to be a long-standing argument between Rhode Island and Massachusetts about which state is home to the worst drivers.

Massachusetts residents are quick to point the finger at Rhode Island and vice versa.

Thanks to a new study from LendingTree, we now have substantial data to put this argument to rest.

It turns out both states simply suck at driving.

Massachusetts takes the number one spot for having the worst drivers in the country and Rhode Island is close behind.

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Key Findings from LendingTree

LendingTree is an online lending marketplace that connects borrowers with lenders to compare financial products. Researchers analyzed tens of millions of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance inquiries from November 5, 2023 through November 4, 2024.

“To determine the best and worst drivers by state, researchers calculated the number of driving incidents per 1,000 drivers in every state based on the residences listed on those insurance inquiries,” said LendingTree. “This main category included accidents, DUIs, speeding-related incidents, and general citations.”

With those four categories in mind, Massachusetts proved to have the worst drivers in the United States.

Massachusetts Has the Worst Drivers in the US

Within the allotted time frame, LendingTree found that Massachusetts had 61.1 incidents per 1,000 drivers, from accidents and DUIs to speeding and citations.

At 44.4 accidents per 1,000 drivers, Massachusetts is the only state with a rate above 40.

Rhode Island Ranks Second for Worst Drivers in the US

Not so fast, Little Rhody, you’re not off the hook. The Ocean State ranks second for the worst drivers, with an overall incident rate of 60.6 in the analyzed period.

Rhode Island ties California for the second-highest accident rate and ties with Wisconsin for the 13th-highest DUI rate.

Maybe this latest study will put this longstanding argument to rest and we can all agree that Massachusetts and Rhode Island drivers are equally problematic.

But I have a feeling I will still roll my eyes when I drive past a Massachusetts driver acting recklessly. Sorry!

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