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NEW YORK — If you’re heading to Hawaii on vacation, think about staying on the beach — because the roads may terrify you! A new survey finds drivers in Hawaii have the worst habits behind the wheel.
Motorists in the Aloha State rank first for changing lanes, turning without signaling, speeding 20 mph or more over the limit, and running a red light. Drivers in Hawaii were followed by those in Oregon and New Mexico, according to the new poll.
The survey of 5,000 drivers (100 in each state), conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Forbes Advisor, found that speeding (specifically, driving less than 10 mph over the speed limit) is America’s worst driving habit, with 39% of Americans with a driver’s license admitting to doing so in the past month. However, another 14% admitted to speeding between 10 and 19 mph over the limit in the past month.
Nearly a third of drivers (29%) admitted to eating while driving in the past month, the second worst habit. Speeding up to a yellow light rounded out the top three (22%).
While an overwhelming 94% of respondents considered themselves to be “good drivers,” half the poll feel their driving behavior has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic — while only 14% feel it’s gotten better.
Not only were drivers in Hawaii found to be the worst out of all 50 states, but they were also happy to admit to their motor misdeeds! In fact, 89% of drivers in Hawaii claim they’re good drivers, the lowest percentage nationwide.
Drivers in Virginia believe they’re the best drivers, with a staggering 99% claiming they’re good drivers. Despite this, Virginia is the 14th worst state for driving behaviors, according to the analysis. So, Virginia may be “for lovers,” but it also appears to be for fibbers as well!
Meanwhile, Tennessee ranks as the best state overall for the best driving behavior, with the best ranks for speeding less than 10 mph over the limit and 20 mph or more over the limit. Ohio ranks as the next best state for driving behavior, followed by Pennsylvania and Florida.
The results also found that men consider themselves to be better drivers than women, with 96% of men feeling this way compared to 94% of women.
According to the survey, texting while driving was revealed as the worst behavior drivers have witnessed others doing, with 40% spotting other drivers texting while driving regularly (several times in the past month, on average). Younger generations are more likely to text while driving, with 18% of Gen Zers and 22% of millennials admitting to doing so in the last 30 days.
In comparison, just 11% of Gen Xers, 4% of baby boomers, and 1% of the Silent Generation admit to getting distracted behind the wheel by texting.
Survey methodology
This survey of 5,000 Americans with a driver’s license (100 in each state) who are at least age 18 was conducted by market research company Talker Research in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from June 24 to July 3, 2024. The margin of error is ± 1.4 points with 95 percent confidence. This survey was overseen by Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).
