Some Interesting Statistics Regarding MA Drivers
It's no secret: Dangerous drivers continue to fill the roadways throughout America. In this "so-called" 21st century, automakers are working diligently to improve car safety with advanced features and systems to protect occupants in their vehicles. Unfortunately, some traffic accidents are unavoidable. Most of us have been there, cruising down the highway at the posted speed limit (65 mph), only to be cut off or beeped at by a driver who refuses to abide by the rules of the road. When we catch a glimpse of a Massachusetts license plate, the first phrase that usually comes to mind is “M***hole.” Are these drivers the type that make us cringe? And, are they really as bad as most of us think? Here are some interesting results:
Drivers from Massachusetts are notoriously aggressive
The question still haunts us: A massive amount of responses came in as a majority of drivers cited road patterns, poor signage, or road rage. Others blamed out-of-state drivers, left-lane hogs, and treacherous winter weather as prime examples.
Statistics show the 2 largest Bay State cities rank in the top 5 with Boston once again at # 1 and Worcester came in at # 3. Another common trait of Massachusetts is they LOVE to use their car horns. The non-stop honking remains a daily occurrence, preferably on northeast city highways which include I-90, I-93 and I-495. A lot of people, mainly those from the capital city, tried to defend their driving habits.
The roads in Massachusetts may be to blame
The infrastructure has major problems, especially in Boston. Like most major cities, there is constant construction which presents a major problem for motorists. Out of state drivers can add to the problem as this can be very confusing in nature, especially when it comes to massive amount of one-way streets and poorly marked turns.
The city of Boston is known for it's narrow streets and limited parking spaces. Don't forget the influx of bicyclists and pedestrians that also pose a challenge. Trolleys also tend to share well-travelled roadways in some places plus let's not forget that potholes and icy road conditions are rule of thumb for Massachusetts drivers, therefore the trend continues to drive more aggressively.
How Massachusetts drivers rate for safety
Would you believe Massachusetts drivers are among the BEST in the country when looking at statistics. There's a favorable review that came out of nowhere. Another surprising result indicates The Bay State is safe haven for teenagers who get behind the wheel. They have the LOWEST national fatality rate for those ages 13 to 19, courtesy of an intense defensive driving program, a low number of DUI arrests and a low showing of incidents regarding distracted driving.
It appears Massachusetts drivers aren’t the worst in the nation after all, despite what most of the country believes. An annual study to determine the States With the Worst Drivers. For 2020, Mississippi was rated the worst, while Massachusetts came out on top. You can check out more details by logging on here.
The study also looks at traffic fatalities, DUI arrests and the percentage of insured drivers. According to a recent survey from Google Trends for driving tickets these results revealed a little bit of optimism:
“The Bay State ranks within the best 10 states for three of the four metrics we considered, including having the fewest fatalities in the study per 100 million vehicle miles driven.”
BOTTOM LINE: Even though a smattering of good news was revealed, take some advice from the late, GREAT Michael Conrad before he sent out his squad on "Hill Street Blues": "BE CAREFUL out there!!"
(Some information obtained in this article, courtesy of www.motorbiscuit.com)
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