A national survey conducted by auto club AutoVantage rates Baltimore, Maryland, as the USA’s no.-3 most courteous city to drive in. Does this surprise you? Or sound about right? The top city was Portland, Oregon, followed by Cleveland, then our beloved city.
The AutoVantage survey was conducted to determine the causes of road rage, which can lead to car and truck accidents, personal injury, and wrongful death on the road. New York City ranked no. 1 for having the angriest and most aggressive drivers, unseating long-time champ Miami, which had topped the list for the past 4 surveys. NYC was followed by Dallas Fort Worth and Detroit as the places with the worst road rage.
The survey found that the top causes of road rage were other drivers driving badly (i.e., speeding, tailgating, failing to use turn signals, cutting each other off, or close-shave lane changing), talking on cell phones, and making obscene gestures. Other causes included bad weather, road construction, or simply people who are tired, angry, stressed, in a hurry, or otherwise “having a bad day.” That pretty much covers just about everyone on the road, wouldn’t you say? Yet Baltimore’s courteous drivers have made the national news. Go Baltimore!
Baltimore car accident attorneys like us often see the worst in the area’s drivers when we go to court to fight for clients who’ve been hurt in accidents due to the negligence or recklessness of others. It’s good to hear positive news like that reported in the survey.
So let’s give Baltimore drivers a hand for being so courteous. But still watch it out there when you’re driving on our roads and highways and bridges: it’s the minority of drivers who are rude, aggressive, angry — and worse — who can cause trouble leading to serious Baltimore County and other Maryland car crashes.
AutoVantage Road Rage Survey Reveals Best, Worst Cities
The Auto Channel June 16, 2009
Top Road Rage Cities: Baltimore Is Charming
abc2news.com June 16, 2009