COLUMBIA, S.C. — A new study by an insurance rate website suggests South Carolina's drivers are far from the best overall.
The aptly-named CarInsuranceComparison.com recently released a list of 10 states with the worst drivers and the Palmetto State has an unenviable position on the list. And we're tied with another state that might surprise you.
South Carolina tied with Montana to take the third-worst state in terms of drivers - both of which, the study claims, had death rate as their worst category.
Aside from that category, states were ranked based on the failure of drivers to obey traffic laws, careless driving, drunk driving, and speeding. According to Car Insurance Comparison, South Carolina not only has the worst death rate among the top 10 but also came up as the second worst for careless driving numbers regarding cyclist deaths.
It also takes the second-place spot for speeding with 45.85% of all fatal accidents in the state involving this dangerous activity.
Only New Mexico and Texas, which tied for the top spot, were ranked worse overall in terms of drivers.
As an interesting aside to the list of states with the worst drivers is a region that's strangely absent - the Northeast. Despite including some of the most populous cities in the country, including New York, Car Insurance Comparison made note of the fact that none of the top 10 states were there.
So while they might have a bit more going for them on the blacktop, the rest of us, especially in South Carolina, may want to take the website's suggestion of taking a driving course to freshen up on the rules of the road.
READ THE FULL LIST: 10 states with the worst drivers