Washington drivers: Pretty terrible, study shows

Washington drivers are the fifth worst in the country, according to QuoteWizard, a Seattle-based company that analyzed Federal Highway Administration data.

The state went from ninth to fifth worst since 2016, according to the company.

Part of the blame for bad driving was placed on transplants to the state.

California drivers ranked the worst, followed by Minnesota, Utah and South Carolina.

Washington’s accident rate jumped from 33rd worst to 14th worst since 2016, the analysis says.

The results of the study by the Seattle-based insurance comparison marketplace, released Thursday, also gave a fairly dim view of drivers across the country, showing a 14 percent increase in car-related deaths since 2015.

The cause? Americans are spending more time on the road, and still texting and talking while driving, the study found.

This story was originally published December 17, 2017 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Washington drivers: Pretty terrible, study shows."