Only 3 States Have Worse Drivers Than Florida
As a Florida resident, I’m very aware of how dangerous our roads can be. But there are 3 states that have even worse drivers. Not possible you say? Let’s go to the data.
Are There Really Worse Drivers Than Those In Florida?
Here’s an incident involving a Florida driver from earlier this week. My girl and I were on 41 near San Carlos Park. She turned on her signal to go from the right lane to the center lane to get around the slow moving traffic. As she moved into the center lane, a car from the far left lane moved into the center lane behind us. Rather than give ground, the other driver laid on his horn and took the center lane. If she didn’t move back to the right lane he would have hit her. If you live here in Fort Myers, you have a story like that just about every single week.
3 States Have Even Worse Drivers
A 2024 study by The Barnes Firm analyzed all 50 states to determine the ones with the most reckless drivers. Looks like you’ll incur even worse drivers on the West Coast. California tops the list of the most reckless drivers, having severe issues with DUI arrests and fatal crashes. But California isn’t the only state worse than Florida.
| US States | Total Number Of Licensed Drivers | Number of Fatal Crushes Caused by Distracted Drivers, 2022 | Number of Fatal Crushes Speeding Involved, 2022 | Number of Fatal Crushed Alchohol Involved, 2022 | DUI Arrests per 100K People | Percentage of Drivers with Road Rage | Rate Of Uninsured Drivers | Composite Score |
| California | 27,112,595 | 142 | 1,285 | 2,385 | 311 | 63.4 | 16.60% | 9.1 |
| Texas | 18,297,900 | 447 | 1,393 | 3,143 | 228.9 | 82.23 | 8.30% | 9.1 |
| Arizona | 5,795,216 | 63 | 376 | 737 | 344.8 | 100 | 11.80% | 8 |
| Florida | 16,144,302 | 250 | 341 | 1,580 | 156 | 59.52 | 20.40% | 7.1 |
Maybe It’s The Heat?
California isn’t as hot as the others, but is it possible that the weather has a role in the reckless drivers? Especially now in summer. Here’s how the injury attorneys broke down the worse drivers in the country:
California ranks 1st for having the most reckless drivers, with a composite score of 9.1. The state leads in fatal crashes involving speeding, totaling 1,285, and alcohol-related incidents, with 2,385 fatalities. Additionally, DUI arrests are relatively high at 311 per 100K people, contributing to California’s hazardous driving conditions. California also leads in the number of licensed drivers, totaling more than 27,112,000.
Texas is 2nd with a composite score of 9.1. This high score is largely due to the state’s alarming number of alcohol-related fatal crashes, totaling 3,143—the highest in the nation. Additionally, Texas faces significant issues with road rage, impacting overall driving safety. The state also leads in fatal crashes caused by distracted drivers, with 447 incidents in 2022.
Arizona ranks 3rd for having the most reckless drivers, with a composite score of 8.0. The state experiences a high number of speeding-related fatal crashes at 376 and alcohol-involved crashes at 737. Arizona also has the highest percentage of drivers having road rage, further increasing the risk on its roads.
Florida comes 4th with a composite score of 7.1. The state has a significant number of fatal crashes caused by distracted drivers, totaling 250, and a high rate of uninsured drivers at 20.4%. These factors, combined with a notable level of road rage incidents, make Florida one of the states with the most dangerous drivers.
The Worse Drivers In Florida Also Happen To Be Uninsured
Despite the data, I swear we have much worse drivers here in Southwest Florida. Here’s another first hand account. bACK IN 2021, I was coming south on 41 in Estero near the Wal Mart. I came to a stop at the red light, but the car behind me didn’t. BAM.
He didn’t hit me hard, but enough to punch a hole in my back bumper. When I got out of my car (in traffic) to check, I also noticed a Lee County Sherriff a couple cars back. I told the driver that hit me that there’s a cop back there that saw him hit me and to pull into Sprouts. I then went and told the deputy what we were doing and he agreed to follow. Good thing that’s a long light.
We exchanged insurance information and went on our way. It was only weeks later, after I got my bumper fixed, that I found out he didn’t have insurance. But – it looked legit. (I crossed out his name and VIN).
So I went to the Lee County Sheriffs Office Community Outreach Center at Coconut Point. It was there that I found out that there’s a common tactic that the worse drivers in town use. They sign up for car insurance on a monthly payment plan. After they make the first payment and get their insurance card, they cancel it. I was told I’d need to take him to court.
So, I looked up his address and saw where he lived on Google Maps. Dude was living in a shanty. Even if I successfully sued him, I’m sure I’d never see any money. In the end, my insurance company paid $250 and I had to pay the other $1,000 to fix my car. So Florida drivers are only the 4th worse drivers in the country?
A thousand dollars says they ARE the worst.
7 Places To Find Southwest Florida Weekend Fun
South Cape Red, White & Booze Walking Pub Crawl
This is a festive 4th of July bar crawl in downtown Cape Coral on Saturday. Grab a passport and check in at the bars and restaurants on the list for drink and food specials. Wear patriotic attire and win prizes. Limo buses will help get you to and from the various stops. Tickets $25 in advance. The party runs from 7 to 11pm. More info here.
Caribbean American Heritage Food And Music Festival
This family friendly event celebrates the food music and culture of all of the Caribbean Islands. Charlotte County Fair Grounds. Saturday from noon to 10pm. Kids under 12 free with an adult. Tickets start at $35 in advance. More info here.
