‘They just bump into whatever’: New study names the top 3 car brands with the worst drivers

A new study ranked car brands by how bad their drivers are, using insurance data, accident reports, DUIs, speeding violations, and other citations.

KIRO fill-in hosts Jim Dever and Angela Poe Russell spent part of “The John Curley Show” on KIRO Newsradio trying to guess the top three before Dever revealed the results.

“In position number one for worst drivers: BMW,” Dever said. “BMW drivers recorded 44.9 incidents, including crashes, DUIs, speeding violations, and other citations per 1,000 drivers. Congratulations, BMW drivers. Now get the hell off the road.”

Angela asked why BMW drivers specifically ranked highest, and Dever provided a theory.

“They’re expensive, but well-made and very safe, and I think sometimes people feel a sense of security, like nothing’s going to hurt me,” Dever said. “It’s like they’re in a bumper car ride at the amusement park. They just bump into whatever they want.”

BMW drivers recorded 44.9 incidents per 1,000 drivers, the highest rate nationwide, followed closely by Ram at 44.7 and Tesla at 42.8. Tesla dropped from the No. 1 spot last year to No. 3.

On the other end of the spectrum, Chrysler, Cadillac and Mercury had the safest drivers, with Chrysler recording just 26 incidents per 1,000 drivers, the lowest rate among major brands.

The hosts debate what your car says about you

The rankings sparked a broader conversation about what car choices said about their owners. Angela admitted she swapped her minivan for a Toyota Highlander after her divorce.

“Once I got a divorce, I didn’t tie it together at the time; I just felt like, I don’t know, the minivan. I needed to look cuter,” Angela said.

KIRO producer Joe Wallace agreed with the instinct.

“Minivan does scream married, though,” Wallace said. “So, if you’re single, it probably, you know.”

Dever said he’d like to upgrade to something nicer but worries about the optics.

“I would like to get a really cool car right now, but then that becomes a stereotype, too,” Dever said. “Like the dude in his 60s who’s driving a really, I don’t know, he looks like he’s trying a little too hard.”

Angela pushed back, saying for many people it’s not about showing off; it’s about finally spending on themselves.

“For a lot of these people, they put all their money into their kids, and their kids are finally gone,” Russell said. “And now they can shine. They’re like, I can buy something for me for a change.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

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