Donielle Flynn

Michigan Drivers Spoiler Alert: We are not that bad, friend.

I’m pretty sure that all Michigan drivers have been honked at or given the finger at some point.  I certainly have.  Forbes recently conducted a survey on road rage, and they included 5,000 drivers: 100 from every state. A 10-factor scoring system was used: everything from honking, yelling, and offensive hand gestures, all the way to forcing another driver’s car off the side of the road and SHOOTING at them.

Where do Michigan drivers fall? You can check out the complete 50-state list on Forbes. 85% of the drivers surveyed said they’ve experienced some form of road rage. Again, honking horns or giving the finger is something I think 100% of drivers have seen in EVERY STATE, but maybe I’m just lucky.  The next time you’re out driving, remember, drivers here in Michigan may not be perfect, but it could be worse… a lot worse.

Forbes data was also broken down to show the most common reasons people give for THEIR OWN ROAD RAGE.  Here are the top five “reasons.”

The other driver was driving inappropriately 31%
I was already stressed out 24%
There was a lot of traffic 23%
I was running late 19%
The other driver was driving slowly 16%

Michigan actually fell in the top 10 for the LEAST confrontational drivers.  Check out our rank!  I always love it when Michigan shows well in a survey, but I didn’t expect us to do this well. LOL Still, I’ll take the win anytime I can get it.

Here are the TOP 5 most controversial drivers and the Top 5 least controversial drivers:

  • #5 most confrontational drivers - NEW MEXICO

    Fifteen percent of the New Mexico drivers surveyed said that another driver in their state followed them and got out of their car to yell or fight with them.

    TOPSHOT - A person wearing an alien costume in a flying saucer roller...

    TOPSHOT - A person wearing an alien costume in a flying saucer roller skates through traffic down Main Street during the UFO Festival on July 2, 2021 in Roswell, New Mexico. - The festival returns... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #4 most confrontational drivers - OKLAHOMA

    More than 50% of the Oklahoma drivers said that drivers in their state had given them “rude hand gestures.” I feel like that number should be higher across the board. Hasn’t EVERY driver been given the finger at some point?

    Teresa Phillips stops traffic during the Dia de los Muertos...

    Teresa Phillips stops traffic during the Dia de los Muertos celebration, November 1, 2015 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A "Catrina parade" was featured, which officials said would break a world record... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #3 most confrontational drivers - COLORADO

    25% of the Colorado drivers surveyed said they know someone who has been hurt in a road rage accident. I thought Colorado was the chill state… maybe not so much?

    Traffic starts to slow during the morning rush hour along I-25 near...

    Traffic starts to slow during the morning rush hour along I-25 near the Denver Tech Center on June 16, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #2 most confrontational drivers - MISSOURI

    Missouri leads the way in the number of respondents that had been intentionally cut off. They also had the most “yes” answers regarding having another driver point a gun or SHOOT at them. WTH is going on in Missouri?

    Barricades keep traffic from travelling down a road covered with...

    Barricades keep traffic from travelling down a road covered with floodwater from the Mississippi River on June 1, 2019 in West Alton, Illinois. The middle-section of the country has been experiencing... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #1 most confrontational drivers - UTAH

    27% of drivers in Utah said they know of someone in their state who was injured in a road rage incident. 76% said they had been honked at in frustration… I feel like this is another percentage that should be closer to 100 FOR EVERYONE. We’ve all honked or been honked at by another driver at some point.

    West Valley City patrol officer Gatrell performs a traffic stop on...

    West Valley City patrol officer Gatrell performs a traffic stop on the first day of use of his newly-issued body camera attached to the side of a pair of glasses on March 2, 2015 in West Valley City,... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #5 least confrontational drivers - NEW YORK

    I did not see that coming. I always considered New York drivers to be on the rude side, but I guess I shouldn’t judge the whole state by NYC.

    Traffic moves through midtown Manhattan on August 31, 2022 in New...

    Traffic moves through midtown Manhattan on August 31, 2022 in New York City. A proposed congestion pricing plan in New York City to reduce traffic has attracted hundreds of New Yorkers to a series of... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #4 least confrontational drivers - FLORIDA

    Florida may lead the country in stupid crimes, but it turns out that their drivers are pretty chill. their pedestrians… not so much.

    A boy makes a rude gesture toward traffic while crossing the road on...

    A boy makes a rude gesture toward traffic while crossing the road on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 16, 2022. - Music, dancing, alcohol and tiny swimsuits -- spring vacation in... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #3 least confrontational drivers - MICHIGAN

    WOOT! A BIG “SUCK IT” to 47 states… wait. That might be a confrontational statement and counter-productive to this conversation. #mybad

    Traffic moves on Grandriver Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on...

    Traffic moves on Grandriver Avenue in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on Friday, June 23, 2017. To lure more young talent straight out of school, Detroit is giving itself a full-on Silicon Valley makeover.... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #2 least confrontational drivers - PENNSYLVANIA

    I’ve driven in Pennsylvania more times than I can count and I have to say, the drivers I’ve interacted with were not confrontational.

    General view of Philadelphia Center City on September 18, 2013 in...

    General view of Philadelphia Center City on September 18, 2013 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

  • #1 least confrontational drivers - NORTH DAKOTA

    Out of a possible 100 points (higher being more confrontational), North Dakota scored in the 62 percentile to be the LEAST CONFRONTATIONAL state for drivers according to the survey.

    A horse drive taking 20, 1-year-old Percheron geldings down 20 miles...

    A horse drive taking 20, 1-year-old Percheron geldings down 20 miles of roads and across the plains of western North Dakota to Ronnie Oyloe's ranch in Round Prairie Township west of Williston, N.D.,... Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images

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