Everyone’s had their less-than-stellar moments behind the wheel, whether you’re honking impatiently at someone who hasn’t noticed that the light’s turned green or gesturing in a decidedly impolite way at a fellow driver. And while you might have your guesses about where in the U.S. you’re apt to find a particularly impolite brand of road warrior, a new study reveals that there’s one state in particular where you’ll find the rudest drivers on the road. Spoiler alert: It's not New York or New Jersey.
A 2020 study from car insurance website Insurify analyzed a database of more than 2.5 million car insurance applications, tabulating disclosures from the applicants regarding failure to yield violations, failure to stop violations, tailgating, passing where prohibited, improper backing, street racing, and hit-and-run accidents. The data scientists measured the number of applicants guilty of at least one of these violations in areas with more than 50,000 residents, and cities with the largest number of drivers with one or more of these infractions were ranked as ruder than those with fewer violators.
The researchers found that, on average, 23.1 of every 1,000 U.S. drivers have been cited for one of these rude behaviors on the road. They also took into account factors like the number of police officers in each location, noting that having more law enforcement officers in a specific city didn’t actually increase the per capita number of rude driving infractions.
So, which state had the rudest drivers overall? Well, looking at Insurify's findings by city, it's clear Virginia has the rudest drivers, with nine of the state’s cities making the company’s 20-city list. But another state wasn't too far behind with four cities in the top 20. Wondering if your area made the list? Read on to discover where you’ll find the rudest drivers in the U.S. And for some other states where the sun doesn't seem to shine, check out This Is the Unfriendliest State in the U.S.
20 | Dayton, Ohio
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 40.6
And if you’re worried about your safety, This Is the Most Dangerous State in the U.S.
19 | Virginia Beach, Virginia
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 40.9
18 | Manchester, New Hampshire
iStockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 43.5
17 | Newport News, Virginia
Shutterstock/Sherry V SmithRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 43.7
16 | Richmond, Virginia
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 44.8
And if you're looking for a pristine travel destination, you won't find one in The Dirtiest State in the U.S.
15 | Athens, Georgia
Shutterstock/Sean PavoneRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.0
14 | Jamaica, New York
Shutterstock/Lamont SmallsRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.1
And if you’re looking for a fun destination for your next road trip, steer clear of The Most Boring State in the U.S.
13 | Racine, Wisconsin
Shutterstock/Tony SavinoRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.1
12 | Hampton, Virginia
Shutterstock/Sherry V SmithRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.5
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11 | Idaho Falls, Idaho
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.5
10 | Ashburn, Virginia
Shutterstock/Nat IntarapromRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.7
9 | Greeley, Colorado
Shutterstock/LawshotsRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 45.9
8 | Boise, Idaho
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 46.3
7 | Logan, Utah
Shutterstock/Jacob BoomsmaRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 46.5
6 | Woodbridge, Virginia
Shutterstock/refrinaRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 47.0
5 | Roanoke, Virginia
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 48.1
4 | Portsmouth, Virginia
Shutterstock/Paul Brady PhotographyRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 50.9
3 | Alexandria, Virginia
ShutterstockRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 52.8
2 | Caldwell, Idaho
Shutterstock/gener200Rude drivers per 1,000 residents: 53.8
1 | Pocatello, Idaho
Shutterstock/StudioKampOCRude drivers per 1,000 residents: 58.4
And if you're looking for a windfall, This Is the State Where You Can Make the Most Money.
