LendingTree Study Ranks States by Best and Worst Drivers

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Dec. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As drivers set out for the holiday roads, analysts at LendingTree^®, the nation's leading marketplace for loans, credit cards, and insurance and more, researched where drivers steer toward safety and where they tend to hit the brakes on responsible road behavior. Using millions of insurance quotes from QuoteWizard by LendingTree, analysts calculated the number of driving incidents (accidents, DUIs, speeding and citations) per 1,000 drivers in every state to determine the state ranking of best and worst drivers.

Overall, the study found that Rhode Island topped the list as the state with the worst drivers in the nation due to the highest driving incident rate — 51.33 per 1,000 drivers — from October 2022 through October 2023.

Key findings

• Between October 2022 and October 2023, Rhode Island had 51.33 driving incidents per 1,000 drivers. Maine came in at a close second, followed by California. 
• The states with the fewest driving incidents per 1,000 drivers were Michigan (11.28), Arkansas (12.81) and Vermont (14.87).
• Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and California are the top three states with the highest accident rates. Conversely, Michigan, Arkansas and Oklahoma (8.42) had the lowest accident rates per 1,000 drivers.
• California and North Carolina were the only states with DUI rates higher than 3.00 per 1,000 drivers. 
• Speeding incident rates were the highest in Montana by a wide margin. Montana had 5.86 speeding-related incidents per 1,000 drivers — far ahead of Oregon (5.09) and Iowa (4.99), the next highest-ranking states. 
• The states with the fewest speeding-related incidents per 1,000 drivers were Rhode Island (0.95), Massachusetts (1.12) and the District of Columbia (1.19).

Top 5 States with the Most Driving Incidents per 1,000 Drivers (Oct. 2022 - Oct. 2023)

1. Rhode Island (51.33)
2. Maine (50.05)
3. California (40.37)
4. District of Columbia (35.16)
5. North Carolina (32.44)

Top 5 States with the Most Accidents per 1,000 Drivers (Oct. 2022 - Oct. 2023)

1. Massachusetts (38.82)
2. Rhode Island (33.15)
3. California (29.18)
4. District of Columbia (22.10)
5. North Carolina (20.82)

Top 5 States with the Most DUIs per 1,000 Drivers (Oct. 2022 - Oct. 2023)

1. California (3.45)
2. North Carolina (3.22)
3. North Dakota (2.83)
4. Wyoming (2.45)
5. Nebraska (2.43)

Top 5 States with the Highest Speeding-related Incidents per 1,000 Drivers (Oct. 2022 - Oct. 2023)

1. Montana (5.86)
2. Oregon (5.09)
3. Iowa (4.99)
4. Utah (4.59)
5. Kansas (4.44)

LendingTree auto insurance expert and licensed insurance agent Rob Bhatt says drivers who violate traffic laws impact more than just their own insurance rates. "Insurance companies increase their rates for all drivers in a particular state when a state's accident and/or car theft rates rise," he adds. "Increases in accidents and car thefts cost insurance companies money because they have to pay to repair or replace more vehicles." Increased costs for insurance companies are generally passed down to policy holders in some form.  

"The most important things you can do after you get a blemish on your driving record are to take a deep breath and be patient," Bhatt says. "While receiving a ticket or citation can be frustrating, and often comes with long-term consequences, your insurance rates won't stay high forever." 

In the meantime, here's what else you can do to combat high insurance rates:

• Understand when your insurance company will raise your rates. "Your existing rate remains in effect until your current policy term expires," Bhatt says. Insurance companies typically provide notice of any rate increases when it's time to renew a policy, giving an opportunity to shop and compare insurance policies with other insurers to see if a different company can give you a lower rate than your current company.
• Know that the impact a ticket or accident has on your car insurance rate varies by company.
• Consider changing your coverage type or increasing deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverages.
• Reducing your liability limits isn't recommended. "You should refrain from reducing your limits for uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it, because this is also an important coverage you don't want to skimp on," says Bhatt.

To view the full report, including the full state rankings, visit
https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/best-worst-drivers-study/ 

Methodology
Researchers analyzed tens of millions of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quotes from Oct. 26, 2022, through Oct. 26, 2023. 

To determine the best and worst drivers by state, researchers calculated the number of driving incidents per 1,000 drivers in every state. This main category included accidents, DUIs, speeding-related incidents and citations.

We looked at the four categories combined and individually. Our individual analyses don't add to the driving incident total because of drivers with multiple incidents.

The categories that fell under citations included:

• Carelessness or recklessness 
• Improper lane usage, improper passing and improper turning
• No insurance or no license to operate a vehicle or misrepresenting a license
• Failure to yield to a car or pedestrian 
• Safety violations, following another vehicle closely and passing a bus 
• Not signaling
• Hit-and-runs involving a bicycle or pedestrian
• Having defective equipment or using the wrong road 
• Comprehensive or other citations

About LendingTree, Inc.
LendingTree is one of the nation's largest, most experienced online financial platforms, created to give consumers the power to win financially. LendingTree provides customers with access to the best offers on loans, credit cards, insurance and more through its network of over 1,000 financial partners. Since its founding, LendingTree has helped over 129 million customers obtain financing, save money, and improve their financial and credit health in their personal journeys. With a portfolio of innovative products and tools and personalized financial recommendations, LendingTree helps customers achieve everyday financial wins.

LendingTree, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, NC. For more information, please visit www.lendingtree.com for additional information.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Jericka Lambourne
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SOURCE LendingTree, Inc.