ARIZONA, USA — If you've lived in Arizona a while, you've definitely been witness to a bad driver or two. Whether it's speeding, weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, not using your turn signal or texting while driving, the Grand Canyon state is being recognized as having some of the worst drivers in the United States.
A recent study by SmartAsset ranked Arizona as the ninth-worst state for irresponsible drivers in 2022.
To find out which states have the most irresponsible drivers, SmartAsset used the following metrics:
- Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven.
- Arrests for driving under the influence per 1,000 drivers
- Percentage of drivers who are insured
- Google Trends on driving tickets
SmartAsset reports for every 100 million miles driven in Arizona, there are 1.60 fatalities. The Grand Canyon State also reports 2.63 DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers. And here’s a scary thought - 11.8% of Arizona’s drivers do not have insurance, according to the study.
EN ESPAÑOL: Arizona se encuentra entre los 10 estados con conductores más irresponsables, según un estudio
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, traffic deaths spiked 10.5% in 2021 when 42,915 people were killed in crashes. That uptick followed 2020, which saw 38,824 motor vehicle fatalities. It had been the deadliest year on American roads since 2007 despite fewer people driving amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to SmartAsset.
If you’re wondering who topped the list, that would be Mississippi with 1.90 fatalities per 100 million miles driven.
Here are the other states with the worst drivers in the United States:
- Mississippi
- Tennessee
- California
- South Carolina
- Arkansas
- Missouri
- Nevada
- Kentucky
- Arizona
- Florida/Colorado
To see the full study, visit the SmartAsset website.
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