“They lack patience and, at times, courtesy.” What else would you expect Urban Dictionary to say about New Jersey Drivers?
New Jersey is known for its reckless, aggressive and rude drivers. This may no longer be a stereotype because according to the American Insurance website, “As of June 1, 2010 it has been statistically confirmed. The state of New Jersey has the worst drivers in the nation.” But what qualifies someone as a bad driver?
According the American Insurance website, of licensed New Jersey drivers who have already passed the written driving test, 38% would fail today. So is this why New Jersey drivers are so bad at driving?
Most people don’t think it is the rules that drivers don’t know, but more of the manners – or lack thereof – that they demonstrate on the road. Common courtesy can go a long way while driving, but it is hard to come by in New Jersey.
Some of these courtesies are stopping before blocking a street when waiting for a red light or maybe letting a car go that is holding up traffic even if it means stopping two feet earlier than you wanted. When people were asked what bothered them most about other drivers, it was often issues that could be solved with just a bit of kindness.
“It really bothers me when people don’t put on their blinkers,” said Senior Morgan Plessner. Just this simple courtesy is one that many people forget. Senior Gabi Latimer described her biggest pet peeve was when cars continue to go, even when they have cars parked on their side of the street and there is only room for one car to go.
Jersey drivers aren’t just known for being rude, but also being too aggressive or impatient. Many drivers complain about cars that honk too often. In New Jersey you will often see drivers honk at cars and stop lights the second the light turns green, not even giving the car in front the chance to react.
Being an aggressive driver can mean not letting people go in front of you, riding on other cars’ bumpers, or even just driving too fast.
When thinking of the word aggressive one doesn’t usually think of driving, but “road rage” is a huge characteristic of many drivers today. According to the Stop Road Rage website, “when a driver gets the finger, is cut off or tailgated, 50 percent of the victims respond with horn honking, yelling, cutting-off, and obscene gestures of their own.” That percent might be even higher when driving in New Jersey.
Road rage might not be the cause of the Jersey driving epidemic but it might explain some of it. Maybe instead of spending time teaching drivers the rules of driving, we should teach them common courtesy so half the population doesn’t have road rage.
But doesn’t everyone get road rage? Or maybe it’s just a Jersey thing.