NSW is home to the worst drivers in the country as voted by Australian drivers

Think Sydney drivers are the pits? You’re not alone. A new survey from family safety app Life360 has just dropped, revealing what Aussies think of drivers around the country. The survey asked Australians to share which state they think is home to the worst drivers, and NSW copped the most flak – with NSW drivers ranking as the worst in the country. 

The survey asked more than 2,000 Australian drivers to assess their own driving ability, reveal the most annoying driving behaviours, and decide which state they think is home to the country’s worst drivers. According to the study, 89 per cent of Australian drivers think they’re “excellent” behind the wheel, but only 7 per cent of us trust other people on the road – something here isn’t adding up. The results show that 43 per cent of Aussie drivers judge other drivers based on their number plates, with NSW assumed to be home to the worst drivers, followed by Victoria, then Queensland, then the Northern Territory. 

So, what are NSW drivers doing to grind everyone's gears? Drivers here in NSW were called out for aggressive driving (51 per cent), habitual speeding (47 per cent), and plain rudeness (37 per cent).

Here’s the leaderboard for worst drivers, according to Australian drivers:

1. NSW (34%) 
2. VIC (22%) 
3. QLD (17%)
4. NT (10%)
5. WA (8%)
6. SA (4%)
7. ACT (3%)
8. TAS (2%)
   

Ready for the plot twist? Despite NSW being the national scapegoat, Life360 app data revealed that the highest proportion of dodgy drivers are, in fact, based in ACT – with the capital state home to the highest rates of hard braking, speeding and driver phone use per capita.

The respondents also accused Victorians of being serial ignorers of road rules, tailgaters, and distracted drivers, while those that pointed the finger at Queensland said they “just have a hunch they’re the worst”.

The real takeaway here is that Australia is home to a whole lot of judgemental drivers, with only 49 per cent saying they trust their partners as good drivers and even fewer backing friends (33 per cent), parents (32 per cent), or kids (22 per cent).

Incidentally, a study by Uber found that NSW is home to the most polite passengers – and yes, we’ll take “The Passenger Princess State” crown with pride. 

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