New Jerseyans are among the worst drivers, survey says

It’s a New Jersey pastime to get angry at out-of-state drivers: the Pennsylvania drivers who go the speed limit in the left lane, the New York drivers who tailgate, and so on.

A recent survey gives us a new reason to get mad at out-of-state drivers: they rank us among the worst drivers in all 50 states.

Gunther VW Delray surveyed road trippers throughout the United States, asking them to rank the driving skills of each state on a scale of one to 10 (10 being the best).

The idea behind asking roadtrippers was that they had driven through various states and not just the cluster of states one lives near.

Roadtrippers' experiences and stories paint a vivid picture of America's driving landscape, both the good and the challenging.
Our aim was to go beyond the numbers and understand what driving feels like on American roads.
It's a reminder that driving isn't just about skill, but also about culture, respect, and shared responsibility" says Joseph Gunther IV of Gunther VW Delray.

At the bottom of the list was Alabama, scoring 5.7/10, while the best-ranked state in the nation was Nevada with a score of 7.5/10.

So how did the Garden State rank?

Our score was 6.6/10, putting us just below the national average of 6.7/10.

Apparently, our driving habits are a little too complicated for outsiders. According to the study:

The Garden State presents a unique concoction of driving challenges. From its dense population leading to congested roads to the infamous New Jersey Turnpike, where drivers often display a blend of audacity and impatience.

Okay, first of all, “Audacity and Impatience” should be on our state flag. Second, we’re in a rush in NJ, we don’t have time for you slowpoke road trippers!

Mix in a notorious reluctance to yield, a penchant for aggressive tailgating, and a somewhat selective approach to using turn signals, and you have a driving environment that can test even the most seasoned road roadtripper.

I’m going to give the old “Jersey salute” to that mischaracterization. While those surveyed may have experienced this in New Jersey, I’m curious how many of them didn’t notice the out-of-state license on the problematic cars.

That said, road trippers, if you can’t take the heat stay out of the kitchen. We New Jerseyans know how to handle our roads just fine. Eyyy, fuhgeddaboudit.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

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