Connecticut Has Worst Drivers, Rhode Island Next

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Which state has the worst drivers in the country? A newly-released study by the online car insurance shopping service Everquote awards that dubious distinction to Connecticut, followed closely by Rhode Island. 

Overall, the northeast had the most unsafe driving ratings with operators in the region being most likely to speed, accelerate aggressively or use the phone while driving. Connecticut’s score was 71.6, followed closely by Rhode Island with 71.7. 

Pennsylvania was next (74.7), with Delaware (76.1) and Maryland (76.1) rounding out the bottom five.

The best driving states were Montana (89.4), Wyoming (89.4), South Dakota (88.2) Alaska (87.2) and Idaho (87.1).

In compiling the 2018 Safe Driving Report, which lists best and worst drivers by state across the country, Everquote analyzed 781 million miles of driving data. The results showed that New Englanders and our neighbors in New York love to speed. While the national average showed that 38 percent of drivers operate above the posted speed limit, Connecticut and Rhode Island drivers do so 56 percent of the time.

Also topping the national average were drivers in New Hampshire (51 percent), Maine (49 percent), Massachusetts (46 percent) and New York (42 percent). Only Vermont drivers were below the national average with 35 percent.

The national average for phone use was 37 percent, with Rhode Island being the only state in the region to top that figure with 39 percent. 

New Yorkers were most guilty in acceleration with 18 percent, but drivers in Connecticut (17 percent), New Hampshire (17 percent) and Massachusetts (16 percent) also topped the national average of 14 percent. 

The study revealed that drivers age 17 and under were the most cautious on the road and that men and women had similar scores nationally. Men tended to speed more than women (40 percent versus 38 percent), while women used their cell phone more (42 percent to 38 percent).

Here are the breakdowns by category for states in the northeast:

Speeding: Nationally – 38 percent.  CT – 56 percent, RI – 56 percent, NH – 51 percent, ME – 49 percent, MA – 46 percent, NY – 42 percent, VT – 35 percent.

Phone use:  Nationally – 37 percent. RI – 39 percent, MA – 37 percent, ME – 36 percent, NH – 35 percent, CT – 34 percent, NY – 33 percent, VT – 26 percent.

Acceleration: Nationally – 14 percent. NY – 18 percent, CT – 17 percent, NH – 17 percent, MA – 16 percent, VT – 14 percent, ME – 14 percent, RI – 13 percent.

Hard Braking: Nationally – 23 percent. CT – 30 percent, NY – 29 percent, MA – 25 percent, RI – 24 percent, NH – 22 percent, ME – 18 percent, VT – 18 percent.

Hard turning: Nationally – 11 percent. CT – 12 percent, NH – 12 percent, RI – 10 percent, VT – 10 percent, MA – 9 percent, NY – 9 percent, ME – 8 percent.