Which Aussie state has the worst drivers – and why?

There are many of us who like to claim that the worst drivers in Australia are the ones driving in our immediate vicinity. But could the answer depend more on geographic borders? How do drivers in the different states and territories actually stack up? With different roads, driving laws, and words for swimwear, it stands to reason we might all drive a bit differently around Australia.

So who are the worst drivers in all the land?

The worst drivers in Australia are…

Well, it depends on how you look at it. Terrible driving behaviour can look like a lot of things, from having a lead foot to aggro tendencies. There are a few different ways we can break this question down and consider the stats.

The worst drivers by infringement reports

It makes sense to look at what drivers get pinged for as a reflection of driving behaviour.

When we look at the per capita figures, drivers in the Northern Territory and Western Australia were caught speeding the most in 2024, while Australian Capital Territorians were most likely to be spotted fiddling on their phones while behind the wheel.

Drivers in New South Wales were officially the worst at wearing their seatbelts. Meanwhile, South Australia reported the most drug driving infringements per 10,000 licence holders.

So going off driving infringements alone, it’s a real mixed bag so far.

The worst drivers by road fatalities

Road deaths could unfortunately be used as another indication of driving skill – just bear in mind that those fatalities can include other drivers, other road users and pedestrians who are caught up in accidents.

When we look at road deaths per capita in the year to September 2025, the NT sadly took out first place by a long way followed by Tasmania, WA and Queensland. Road deaths have unfortunately been higher in the NT for some years, and the Territory’s long distances and remote roads are likely to have something to do with that.

By the sheer numbers, Queensland and NSW saw the most actual road deaths in the same time period – but they also have higher populations.

The worst drivers by driver perception

And finally, who do drivers perceive as the worst drivers in Australia? In a survey commissioned by iSelect in early 2025, 29% of respondents chose NSW as the home to the worst drivers. Victoria and Queensland took out second and third respectively. NSW was also deemed to contain the fastest drivers. However, it must be noted that there weren’t an equal number of respondents from each state, which could skew the results.

Location tracking app Life360 also polled over 2,000 Aussie drivers, and NSW was once again voted as Australia’s worst drivers by 34% of respondents. NSW drivers were judged as speedy and aggressive, while Victorians were perceived as more likely to ignore the road rules.

In contrast, which state has the best drivers?

According to that same iSelect survey, NSW drivers were deemed not only the worst drivers but also the best drivers in Australia, followed by Victoria and Queensland. So as far as driver perception goes – perhaps it’s all in the eye of the beholder!

If we go off road fatalities and no-seatbelt infringements, then the ACT edges forwards as safer drivers. South Australian drivers were the least likely to be caught speeding, Northern Territorians were the least likely to be caught driving using their phone, and Tasmanians were the least likely to be caught driving without a licence. So just like the worst drivers, it’s difficult to pinpoint just one state or territory as home to the best drivers. Heck, maybe we’re all the worst and the best depending on the day.

All things considered: it’s subjective

We might swear that the worst drivers are those we encounter every day, or that they’re all in the next state over. What we do know is that each state and territory has its own unique infrastructure, driver education, road rules and driving culture, which all go some way to explaining the perceived and actual differences in driving behaviours. Sadly for everyone who’d otherwise gloat there is no clear-cut answer – but don’t let us stop you blaming whoever you want to blame.

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