With so much to do and so much to see in the beautiful Beehive State, our residents are frequently hitting the road. We may not consider ourselves to be bad drivers but according to reports from the website QuoteWizard, we'd be wrong in thinking that. Coming in at the top spot for America's Worst Drivers by state, Utah residents might want to reconsider how closely they're keeping their eyes on the road!
After closely examining 10 million insurance quotes, a past report from QuoteWizard named Utah as having the worst drivers in our country.
QuoteWizard (a company that compares car insurance) looked at things such as drunk driving, car crashes, and traffic tickets in each state while also sampling data from drivers who use their website.
While our drunk driving statistics aren't positive, it's Utah's terrible rankings for both accidents and speeding that resulted in the Beehive State's low ranking. Utah ranks first in speeding, second in citations, and fifth in accidents.
Aside from Utah being the worst state for drivers, California came in at the second spot on this list. Iowa, Wisconsin, and Ohio were also ranked in the top five.
And the states with the best drivers in the country? Connecticut ranked number one as having the best drivers in the country. Michigan and West Virginia also topped the list.
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Utah has been acknowledged for having residents with poor driving skills.
In the past, other websites such as Insure.com and Allstate Insurance acknowledged negative characteristics of Utah's residents when it came to driving. In fact, Utah drivers have even been in the rankings as the rudest in our entire country.
Have you heard that our residents aren't the best of drivers? Do you agree with this report that Utah drivers are the worst in the country? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments!
Speaking of being on the road, if you aren't too busy driving like a maniac ... try taking a scenic drive and enjoying the beauty of Utah. Check out these 13 scenic drives in Utah that deserve a spot on every Utahn's bucket list. And if you plan to spend some time behind the wheel, make sure you have car-friendly snacks for the drive.
9 Things That Utahns Just Can’t Seem To Stop Talking About
Utah is celebrated for its stunning national parks, successful Winter Olympics, unique foods, beautiful seasons, excellent skiing, Sundance Film Festival, popular cookie and soda shops, and the intense Holy War football rivalry.
If you have spent any time in Utah, you know that it is the best place to be. As Utahns, we love to talk about our state and what makes it so great. In fact, there are a few things that many of us Utahns just can’t stop talking about. So, we sat down and created a list of just a few things that make Utah the best place to live and that we can’t stop telling — or reminding — the world about. From gorgeous natural parks to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Olympic Park in Salt Lake City Utah, there are plenty of things to be excited about in Utah!
There is a reason our national parks are named the "Mighty Five." Not only are these national parks huge, but they are also beautiful. In fact, Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Zion were all ranked as some of the most stunning and the best national parks in the world — yes, the world! Zion, which is Utah’s oldest national park, was ranked as the sixth most beautiful national park around the globe. No wonder we can’t stop talking about them!
2. We hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City and they were a huge success!
How many times has Utah hosted the Olympics? Just once so far, and it was amazing! Salt Lake City proudly hosted the 2002 Olympic Games and Paralympic Winter Games. More than 2,500 athletes competed in these games and 77 nations were represented. Plus, dozens of records were broken during these games alone. Today, we have venues, like Olympic Park in Salt Lake City, Utah, where you can relive some of those incredible moments and even pretend you’re an Olympic athlete yourself.
If you are new to the Beehive State, you’ve likely heard about some of our iconic foods in Utah like fry sauce and funeral potatoes. However, if you’ve tried these foods, then you know what all of the fuss is about. Don’t be surprised if we serve some of these tasty foods when you come over to dinner.
4. In Utah, we experience all four seasons and each one is BEAUTIFUL!
We are lucky to experience every season throughout the year (sometimes on the same day!). Whether you like one season more than another, it doesn’t matter as each is absolutely gorgeous. If you don’t believe us, check out Utah's natural beauty throughout every season of the year for yourself - you won't regret it! We really do live in one of the most stunning places in the country.
According to our license plates, Utah has the greatest snow on earth and we have to agree. Plus, we are also home to some of the snowiest places in the entire world. Alta, for example, averages 551 inches of snow each year! And who doesn't love Park City for its charm and awesome skiing?
6. The Sundance Film Festival is the event of the year.
In Utah, we love our movies, and we especially love to watch movies at the Sundance Film Festival. This one event brings thousands of people together. But don’t get us wrong, while we love to watch the movies, we especially love being on the lookout for the celebrities who attend the festival. You will probably find them in Park City!
If you live nearby, you’ve likely visited a soda or cookie shop in Utah. Actually, you likely have a FAVORITE cookie or soda shop, and you aren’t afraid to let everyone know about it. You may even have a separate category in your budget book just for these sweet treats and that’s okay — we do, too! One of our favorite places is Swig, which has locations all over the state!
8. The highlight of football season is the Holy War.
If you want to get Utahns really fired up, just mention the Holy War. This describes the football rivalry between Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. This is one of the most highly-anticipated games each year and here in Utah, we talk about it before, during, after, and even months following the game. The Holy War is just one of the unique phrases in Utah that you might hear if you move here!
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9. Plain and simple, Utah is the best place to call home.
No matter which way you slice it, life in Utah is hard to beat. From nature to restaurants to events to our residents, Utah is the best — plain and simple. Whether you like our state's manmade attractions or are drawn to the natural wonders in Utah, there is something for you to love here!
What would you say are some things that Utahns just can’t stop talking about? We’d love to know your thoughts in the comments!
We know that we are lucky to live in the Beehive State, but there are some misconceptions about Utah too. If you are coming to visit, make sure you read up and prepare yourself so you know what you're talking about when you're here. You'll make friends in no time! If you will be taking a road trip around our beautiful state, check out ideas for the Best Road Trip Snacks: 50 On-The-Go Food Ideas so you will be well-prepared for your trip.
I’m a lifelong resident of Utah. It wasn’t until I grew up and started traveling outside the state that I realized we Utahns do some pretty weird things. They’re not necessarily bad, mind you (in fact, # 3 is downright delicious), but people from other states see these things and think, "Only in Utah!" Here are just a few of the weird things in Utah you may see if you live in our great state or are even just visiting.
The little stick on the left side of your steering column? It’s used to signal to other drivers that you’re changing lanes. I’m not kidding ... this is really a thing.
Our version of scones is typically called "fry bread" in other parts of the country. When people come here and order scones, they’re surprised to get that fried, doughy goodness rather than a hard, dry little cookie. This is a welcome surprise for most because our "scones" are way better!
You might think we have lots of mountains here in Utah, but if you ask a Utahn, he’ll tell you about the "mou’ns." The city of Layton is pronounced "Lay’un." Apparently, we don’t like to sound out those t’s very much.
While young adults in the rest of the country are living in college dorms and enjoying the single life, Utahns are having children and buying houses while still working on their degrees.
6. Some Utahns deliberately spell their children’s names in weird ways.
I suppose Utahns figure that by spelling a name in the strangest possible way, it’s unique. Really, it just means that your child faces a lifetime of having his name misspelled.
You’ll hear fellow Utahns (even adults) cursing with words such as "Fetch," "Gosh Darn," and "Heck." We all know that you’re swearing even if you use an alternate.
8. Fashion-challenged Utahns wear shorts and flip flops when there’s three feet of snow on the ground.
When a missionary serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints returns home from his/her time abroad, the entire family (plus a couple dozen friends) gathers at the Salt Lake International Airport.
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10. We dip our French fries into a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup.
Thankful Utahns will often express their gratitude with this phrase. I think it's charming.
As a native Utahn, I find these things mostly charming — they’re what make our great state unique! What other weird things in Utah do you often see? Let us know in the comments.
If you love Utah like I do, you want to show your pride. Check out Wear Your Roots for some of the best Utah apparel.
