Ram, Tesla and Subaru Have the Worst Drivers, While BMW Drivers Have the Highest DUI Rates

It’s no secret that drivers of certain car brands have bad reputations — but are these bad reputations warranted? According to the data, it may be in some cases.

Our latest analysis uses QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data to determine which car brands have the worst drivers. We’ll also break down which brands have the drivers most responsible for accidents, DUIs and other incidents.

Key findings

• Across 30 car brands analyzed, Ram has the worst drivers. Nationally, Ram drivers had 32.90 driving incidents (accidents, DUIs, speeding and citations) per 1,000 drivers from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023. Tesla (31.13) and Subaru (30.09) were the only other brands whose drivers had incident rates above 30.00.
• Mercury has the best drivers in the year analyzed. Mercury drivers had 15.82 incidents per 1,000 drivers nationally — less than half the rate of incidents among Ram drivers. Pontiac (16.24) and Saturn (16.84) followed.
• Looking closer, Ram has the worst drivers in 23 states. That means Ram drivers had the highest incident rates of any brand analyzed in nearly half of all U.S. states. Of the states where Ram dominated, drivers were worst in Massachusetts at 64.44 incidents per 1,000 drivers. Meanwhile, Tesla drivers were the worst in 11 states — the only other brand in the double digits.
• Tesla drivers have the highest accident rate. From Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023, Tesla drivers had 23.54 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Ram (22.76) and Subaru (20.90) were the only other brands with more than 20.00 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Meanwhile, Pontiac (8.41), Mercury (8.96) and Saturn (9.13) were the only brands with fewer than 10.00 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
• BMW drivers have the highest DUI rate by a wide margin. BMW drivers had 3.13 DUIs per 1,000 drivers — nearly twice the rate of DUIs among Ram drivers (1.72), the next-highest ranking auto brand. On the other end, Mitsubishi (0.89), Volvo (0.92), and Mercury and Kia drivers (both 0.93) had the lowest DUI rates. Just nine of the 30 brands analyzed had DUI rates below 1.00 among their drivers.

Ram, Tesla and Subaru have the worst drivers

Based on a LendingTree analysis (using QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data) of 30 brands, Ram has the worst drivers. Nationwide, Ram drivers had 32.90 driving incidents per 1,000 drivers between Nov. 14, 2022, and Nov. 14, 2023.

For our study, driving incidents included:

• Accidents
• DUIs
• Speeding
• Citations

Ram drivers finished in the top five among each of the four driving incidents analyzed. Ram drivers had more speeding incidents per 1,000 drivers (4.42) than all the brands analyzed. They also had the second most accidents (22.76) and DUIs (1.72) and the fifth most citations (8.00).

Tesla also produces several vehicles known for their performance. Kelley Blue Book’s 2023 list of the 10 fastest electric cars includes four Teslas.

In third, Subaru drivers had 30.09 driving incidents per 1,000 drivers. Collectively, Ram, Tesla and Subaru were the only three brands whose drivers had incident rates above 30.00.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mercury drivers were the best in the year analyzed — more than 50% safer than Ram drivers. Nationwide, Mercury drivers had 15.82 incidents per 1,000 drivers, ahead of Pontiac (16.24) and Saturn (16.84).

Driving incident rates per 1,000 drivers by brand

Source: LendingTree analysis of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023.

The type of vehicle you drive and the blemishes on your record (whether they’re crashes or citations) can impact your car insurance rates.

“A vehicle’s crash rate is just one of the factors insurance companies look at to determine how risky a particular model may be to insure,” says Rob Bhatt, LendingTree insurance expert and a licensed insurance agent. “That said, a prior ticket, accident or DUI on your driving record usually has a bigger impact on your rates than your vehicle’s safety record.”

By state, Ram has the worst drivers across nearly half the U.S.

When you take a closer look by state, Ram has the worst drivers in nearly half the country. Incident rates for Ram drivers are higher than any other brand in 23 states — significantly higher than any of the ones analyzed.

Ram drivers had the highest incident rate in Massachusetts — 64.44 per 1,000 drivers. The only state with a higher incident rate for a particular car brand was Rhode Island, where Infiniti drivers had 64.69 incidents per 1,000 drivers.

Tesla drivers had the highest incident rate in 11 states — aside from Ram, Tesla was the only other brand in the double digits. The nine other brands with the highest driving incident rate in a state were:

• Subaru
• BMW
• Infiniti
• Volkswagen
• Audi
• Lexus
• Mazda
• Saturn
• Volvo

Brand with highest driving incidents per 1,000 drivers by state

Source: LendingTree analysis of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023.

Tesla drivers have the highest accident rate

Tesla drivers have the highest accident rate compared with all the brands analyzed. During the period analyzed, Tesla drivers had 23.54 accidents per 1,000 drivers. Ram (22.76) and Subaru (20.90) were the only other brands with accident rates over 20.00 per 1,000 drivers.

It’s hard to nail down why certain brands may have higher accident rates than others. However, there are indications that certain types of vehicles attract riskier drivers than others.

Three brands’ drivers have accident rates below 10.00. The safest drivers (in terms of accident rates) operate the following brands:

• Pontiac: 8.41
• Mercury: 8.96
• Saturn: 9.13

Accidents per 1,000 drivers by brand

Source: LendingTree analysis of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023.

BMW drivers have the highest DUI rate — and it’s not close

One of the worst mistakes a driver can make is operating a vehicle while under the influence.

BMW drivers have a significantly higher number of DUIs compared to other drivers — 3.13 per 1,000. Ram drivers, with the second highest rate of DUIs, have almost half that amount (1.72).

Nine car brands had drivers with DUI rates below 1.00. Of those nine, Mitsubuish (0.89), Volvo (0.92), Mercury (0.93) and Kia (0.93) drivers had the lowest DUI rates for the period analyzed.

DUIs per 1,000 drivers by brand

Source: LendingTree analysis of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quote data from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023.

Being a bad driver: Insurance implications and more

Bad driving habits could impact you in several ways — none of which are positive. Below are some consequences you might experience if you’re irresponsible behind the wheel.

• Higher insurance premiums: Speeding, accidents, DUIs and citations all have the potential to lead to higher insurance rates. “Our research shows that a speeding ticket can bump up the price of car insurance by 10% to 20%,” Bhatt says. “Accidents can increase your rates by about 40%. With a DUI, you could be looking at a rate increase of 60% or more.”
• Tickets and fines: Getting a speeding ticket can be stressful, especially considering the strain it can add to your budget. Yet Bhatt points out that citations and fines are a small price to pay when considering how much worse circumstances could be if you’re involved in an accident. “I know from personal experience that speeding tickets are a pain,” says Bhatt, “but that’s the price you pay for breaking the rules.”
• SR-22 insurance: If you become a habitual offender, particularly with speeding or reckless driving offenses, you risk having your license suspended. License suspension may also be a possibility if you drive under the influence. “Most states require you to file an SR-22 certificate to reinstate your license after offenses such as DUI, but you may also have to get one if you’re caught driving without insurance,” Bhatt says. This could make it harder for you to get insurance in the future, possibly forcing you to work with an insurer that accepts high-risk drivers and charges higher rates.

If you have blemishes on your driving record, finding competitive car insurance rates can be a challenge. But you can resolve to begin practicing responsible driving habits so you can eventually have a clean driving record in the future. In the meantime, comparing car insurance quotes from multiple providers could help you find the most affordable coverage options for your current situation.

Methodology

Researchers analyzed tens of millions of QuoteWizard by LendingTree insurance quotes from Nov. 14, 2022, through Nov. 14, 2023.

To determine the best and worst drivers by car brand, researchers calculated the number of driving incidents per 1,000 drivers by brand in every state. This main category included accidents, DUIs, speeding and citations. We examined the 30 brands with the highest number of quotes.

We looked at the four categories combined and individually. Our individual analyses don’t add to the driving incident total because of drivers with multiple incidents.

The categories that fell under citations included:

• Carelessness or recklessness
• Improper lane usage, improper passing and improper turning
• No insurance or no license to operate a vehicle or misrepresenting a license
• Failure to yield to a car or pedestrian
• Safety violations, following another vehicle closely and passing a bus
• Not signaling
• Hit-and-runs involving a bicycle or pedestrian
• Having defective equipment or using the wrong road
• Comprehensive or other citations