This Eastern State Is Notorious For Having The Most 'Chaotic' Drivers In All Of America

It may be the smallest state in the United States, but Rhode Island is packed with things to do and see. Often mentioned as a worthy stop in American road trips for romantic getaways, this coastal state is quintessentially New England, promising the freshest food, surf, and beaches. But in an ironic twist of fate, accessing the Ocean State may prove a bit tricky: Rhode Island has received the dubious honor of having America's most "chaotic" drivers — and its road conditions certainly don't help the cause.

After crunching live traffic numbers and government data, mapping software platform eSpatial (via The Manual) conducted a study that made a strong case for steering clear of Rhode Island's streets. Categories such as road satisfaction, traffic congestion, and pothole complaints were scrutinized, as were accident-related statistics, specifically total road fatalities and speeding-related deaths. 

The results were enough to make any driver wince. Rhode Island's road quality ranked last, with 37.2% of roads in poor condition. People came to Google in droves with "pothole complaint" searches, indicating "widespread driver frustration." Meanwhile, the state ranked second in fatal crashes involving overspeeding, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Throw in compact roadways, dense population, and infrastructure in dire need of updates, and you've got enough factors to explain the chaos surrounding the state's roadways. "It might be the smallest state in the U.S., but Rhode Island punches well above its weight in road-related problems," the study noted.

Digging deeper into Rhode Island's less-than-desirable driving landscape reveals some pretty sobering statistics. In a LendingTree study, Rhode Island was ranked second among states with the worst drivers, with 60.6 per 1,000 drivers involved in on-road incidents such as DUIs, speeding, or car crashes. The state's DUI rate ranked 13th out of the 50 states.  Meanwhile, in the eSpatial study, Rhode Island ranked second in fatal crashes that involved overspeeding based on data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

Rhode Island residents don't seem shocked by the ranking — in fact, many agree. A Reddit user painted a picture of a day in the life of a Rhode Island commuter: "When there's heavy traffic, or even standstill traffic, and people actively get into the on ramp lane to pass ten or so cars, causing even more traffic and blocking people who are actually trying to get onto the highway." 

But let's not be too quick to cast stones at Rhode Island's drivers alone — the crater-like roads share the blame, too. Rhode Island roadways were deemed the worst in the country, with 39.3% of urban roads and 32.2% of rural roads in degraded conditions, according to ConsumerAffairs' assessment. As a result, car owners shell out an average of $845 annually for vehicle repairs. It's not surprising for a state that ranked 12th among the 15 states with the most pothole-ridden roads, per USA Today's analysis of pothole queries from Google Trends between 2020 and 2023. Still, Rhode Island is a beautiful state and hard to pass up, so exercise caution and be sure to steer clear of any reckless mistakes while passing through on your next road trip.