Utah Drivers: Terrible, But Still Better Than Most

Tailgaters, mysterious lane changes, and that magical disappearing turn signal? How about the crazies that just use the shoulder to go around a car that is driving them nuts? Yeah, we’ve all seen it. But before you grab the pitchfork, let’s put things in perspective.

Take California. Ever been to LA or the Bay Area during rush hour? Aggressive lane changers, people honking like it’s a musical, and traffic that moves slower than a glacier. Despite what they claim, when I put my blinker on to try and get over, California drivers just speed up to close any gap. (Not that Utahns are innocent here) And when those California drivers move to Utah, it's like they don't know how the freeway works because they are used to just sitting still on it. Suddenly Utah drivers weaving at 75 mph don’t seem so bad. Studies show that Utah drivers rank worse than California drivers in some metrics—but at least we’re not battling LA freeway chaos every day.

Then there’s Nevada, especially Las Vegas. Between tourists panicking on the Strip and locals speeding like it’s a video game, Utah’s “careful” drivers look downright saintly. According to surveys, Nevada drivers are ranked among the most aggressive in the West. And they definitely don't have time for your indecision. Watch out, they will flat run you over and count the points.

Arizona isn’t innocent either. Phoenix and Tucson drivers seem to treat yellow lights as a suggestion and merging as a free-for-all. Meanwhile, Utah drivers are like, “I’ll just wait my turn in the very long line instead of doing the right thing and learning the zipper merge."

Even Oregon and Washington get a mention. Portland intersections are designed to confuse you, rain-soaked streets lead to panic stops, and tailgating? Everywhere. Utah’s dry roads suddenly feel like paradise.

Of course, Utah drivers still have their quirks — we speed when it’s clear, get lazy on snow days, camping in that left lane happens, and yes, turn signals are sometimes a myth. But put us next to the chaos in California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, or Washington, and suddenly Utah’s worst looks like a safe, polite day on the road (Axios). When you come to visit, just make sure you know how to tackle the roundabout.

So the next time someone rants about Utah drivers, just smile. Sure, we might be a little aggressive, but compared to the rest of the West, we’re practically driving angels.