CT Drivers Ranked Among Best In National Survey

HARTFORD, CT — While you may think your morning commute is filled with some of the worst drivers you have ever seen, recently released data may indicate otherwise. According to a new report released by CarInsuranceComparison.com, an auto insurance website, Connecticut drivers fared well on its list of states with the worst drivers.

Connecticut placed 32nd in the website's ranking, putting it among the 20 safest states on the list. The state also fared will on the study's Fatalities Rate per 100 Million Vehicle Miles Traveled category, where it ranks at 45th.

The website used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for its survey and noted that the National Centers for Disease Control ranked the U.S. 19th among nations with similar income when it comes to destructive driving. The survey ranked states based on fatality rates, "failure to obey" laws for things such as seatbelt use and having a valid license, drunken driving, careless driving and speeding.

According to the survey, the designation of worst drivers in 2017 went to Montana, with Arizona placing right behind it. Louisiana, Texas and Nevada rounded out the top five slots.

The honor of best drivers in the country goes to Iowa, followed by Minnesota, New Jersey, Virginia and Ohio, according to the data.

The category where Connecticut fared the worst was drunk driving, where it placed 8th. Connecticut also ranked 28th in both speeding and failure to obey laws, and 34th in careless driving.

A major factor in a driver's performance, and in many cases one that can lead to an accident, is distracted driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving is any activity that diverts a driver's attention from driving.

This includes talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.

NHTSA says texting can be the most dangerous distraction, as sending or reading a text can take a driver's eyes off the road for five seconds. If you are driving at a standard highway speed of 55 mph, this could be the equivalent of driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

According to NHTSA, a person cannot drive safely unless the task of driving has their full attention. Any non-driving activity you engage in is a potential distraction and increases your risk of crashing.

Visit CarInsuranceComparison.com to view the full study.

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