Florida Drivers Still Among the Nation’s Worst
If you’ve spent any time on Florida roadways, you know the state is filled with bad drivers. Florida has some of the worst drivers in the nation. A report by the consumer website Smart Asset found that Florida ranks in the top five states for the worst drivers in the country.
The Report
According to the report, Florida tied with Nevada and Texas for the fourth worst drivers in the country. Last year Florida came in at number eight, so things have gotten worse. In determining the rankings, Smart Asset looked at a number of different factors. This included the percentage of insured drivers, the number of DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, the rate at which “traffic ticket” was Googled, and the number of fatalities.
The report found that Florida has the lowest amount of insured drivers with only 73% of drivers carrying car insurance. Florida had the 11thhighest rate of “traffic ticket” searches and ranked high in fatalities with 1.47 per 100 million vehicle miles driven. It’s not all bad news, however. Florida had the eighth-lowest rate of DUI arrests in the country with a rate of 2.17 per 1,000 drivers.
The report noted that southern states ranked the highest for worst drivers. Mississippi ranked number one on the list, followed by Alabama and California. Massachusetts was the state with the best drivers. It had an insured driver rate of 93.8%, only 1.76 DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers, and less than one fatality per 100 million vehicle miles driven.
Reasons for Bad Drivers
While the study didn’t indicate why the drivers in Florida are among the worst, there are a number of different factors that may contribute to the high rate of bad drivers. Florida is home to many retirees and, as we age, our ability to drive is negatively affected. More older drivers on the road may mean more accidents. The streets of Florida are also inundated with tourists who are risky drivers on unfamiliar roads. In addition, the high rate of uninsured drivers may be caused by the fact that insurance rates in Florida are very high. The cost of auto insurance in Florida is 52% higher than the national average.
Contact a Florida Car Accident Attorney
If you’ve been injured in an accident with a bad driver, you may want a trusted car accident attorney on your side. The attorneys at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk have been representing Florida car accident victims for over 30 years. Contact us onlineor call us at 800-538-4878 to set up your free, no-obligation consultation today.