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SALT LAKE CITY — On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, how would you rate Utah drivers?
For some drivers, it likely depends on the day, our mood, if the driver is running late, and whether or not other drivers are obeying traffic laws.
Probably fair to say, some days Utahns may rank each other high or fairly low.
The bigger question is this: Compared to the rest of the country, are Utah drivers the worst?
What do Utah drivers say?
First of all, everybody seems to have an opinion on this one.
Christmas Jones has one: "They're impatient."
Another Utah driver, Derrek, has one: "They're bad. They're bad. They're really bad."
Cameron has one: "They are terrible. It's pretty gnarly. Not fun."
You get the picture.
The only person KSL-TV found with nice things to say about Utah drivers was Michael Gibner from Florida. He'd driven in Utah for a grand total of 24 hours when we spoke with him.
"It was a very good experience," said Gibner.
Great first impression, everyone!
But for Utahns driving these roads on the daily, whether in the cab of a truck, on the seat of a bike, or just playing taxi across the valley, defining what exactly makes a good or bad driver is a little subjective.
What do the experts say?
Even research rankings provide different answers.
Each year, insurance and business sites create a formula using a various combination of metrics, such as DUIs, fatalities, insured versus uninsured drivers, citations, accidents, speeding tickets and more. They do some calculations and then give each state a ranking. For example, the website Quote Wizard ranks Utah drivers No. 6 on the "worst in the country" list.
And while many in the Beehive State would concur, just look at Utah's status from these other sites using their own math:
- Smart Asset ranks Utah fourth best.
- Bank Rate has Utah third best.
- World Population Review claims Utah has the second best drivers in the country.
And if these rankings are more reflective of the good, why do so many Utahns believe we're so bad?
"I don't know if it's quite as bad as the reputation that we have," said Andy Farnsworth, the voice of KSL NewsRadio morning traffic.
For the past two decades, he has seen, reported and experienced just about every type of driver on Utah roads.
With that experience, Farnsworth believes perception is not always reality.
"I just don't know how you quantify, like in a truly measurable way," Farnsworth said, "other than just your own personal feelings, how bad the drivers are."
Farnsworth says wrong-way drivers and those throttling over 100 miles per hour have been some of the biggest concerns as of late.
Road rage
An even bigger concern is the rage we have seen on Utah roads. In the past month, driving angry has been in the spotlight. In one case, windows shot out with a pellet gun. In another, 41-year-old Chris Mortensen, husband and father of four, was shot and killed.
Forbes Advisor offers a more sobering survey. Across the country, it ranked Utah No. 1 for the most confrontational drivers. From honking the horn (76%), to giving the bird (58%), to riding someone's tail (73%).
The survey reveals 1 in 4 Utah drivers said they know of someone injured because of road rage.
Whether you buy into those numbers or not, it should give all Utah drivers reason to pause, because tomorrow morning whether you're driving, scootering, walking or riding, blinkers will not be used. Speeds will not be followed. And the frustrations will not go away.
Yes, Utah drivers are always going to drive like Utah drivers.
And it's up to all drivers to decide which type of Utah driver they want to be.
