Traveling is supposed to be an adventure filled with glorious and wonderful memories we will hopefully never forget. As travel writers, we strive to share positive insights to help you enjoy your trip even more.

Unfortunately there are those times when things beyond our control can ruin those precious moments and make us wonder why in the hell we took a road trip in the first place.

Like when you happen to discover the worst drivers in America.

Because most of our travel is based in the United States and Canada, while driving our truck, we get to see a lot of great things — especially when we take the roads less traveled. It’s one of the perks of what we do.

But sometimes we’re forced to take highways and interstates and it has become a sort of hellish nightmare in certain places.

We’ve stared in the face of death numerous times in our vehicle and had to clean the shit out of our seats and shorts which isn’t pleasant at all. Some interstates even bring us such horrible flash backs and anxiety we’ve become day drinkers. 😜

So today I want to share the top three states we believe to be the worst, just in case you’re planning a future trip. This way you can be fully prepared with a well stocked first aid kit, adult diapers, proper insurance, and a bottle of rum to calm your nerves when it all goes wrong.

Additionally, I’m sorry if you live in one of these places. I don’t mean to offend you and your people, but seriously, learn to drive better.

#3. California

Despite the crazy prices, questionable politics, and growing homeless population, we absolutely love California and the incredible experiences this state has provided.

San Diego is my happy place and there are so many awesome National Parks, beaches, and smaller towns to explore that will make you smile. Southern California is vastly different from Northern California, making for a very memorable drive.

Speaking of…

For the most part there aren’t as many horrible drivers in CA as the other states listed— it’s just the sheer amount of ’em on the roads at any given time.

There’s no planning around traffic because you never know when those thousands upon thousands of cars will be on the road. They keep you guessing and anticipating so you’ll be forced into some sort of purgatory to atone for your sins!

I recommend carrying plenty of water and couple of milk jugs to pee in just case you find yourself crawling the asphalt hell of Interstate 5.

#2. Texas

Something about pickup trucks, guns, and “everything’s bigger in Texas” creates an attitude that makes Texans feel untouchable.

If you get anywhere near the metro areas of Dallas, Austin, Houston, or San Antonio, you’ll discover the true American Spirit formed by raging testosterone and relentless aggressiveness.

And now that the liberals from California and New York are making a mass exodus from their land to this big state due to better tax and housing rates, I’d expect a rise in seething anger and road rage. Be ready for a gun fight.

When we go through Texas we do everything possible to avoid the corridor of I-35, especially near Dallas and Austin, because of the insane amount of traffic but also because the highways are always changing and confusing. Even with Google Maps or GPS, it will lead you to a gauntlet of suffering.

However I will say Texas has some amazing places to visit and if you can deal with those drivers, it is worth boot scootin’ around the state.

#1. Florida

Buckle up and tighten your seatbelt for this one because no place makes us as fearful as the “Sunshine State!” 😱

Florida has a lot to offer on a roadtrip — including beautiful beaches, amazing resorts, tons of entertainment and amusement parks and, in certain cities like Miami or Orlando, an exciting night life.

Unfortunately the state also provides you with the rudest and most dangerous drivers in the entire country.

15 years ago we drove I-95 south on our way to a cruise and on this six lane highway to hell our lives flashed before our eyes. A vehicle in the far right lane hit another car causing a chain reaction of destruction. We met a white pickup truck spinning out and head on at 70 mph.

We were badly shaken and our rental car* was totaled. Thankfully our injuries, while painful, weren’t so severe that we couldn’t continue on our trip.

The worst part, if that wasn’t already enough, was the people slowly driving by after our wreck giving us the finger and telling us to get the fuck out of the road! Then after the firefighters arrived, they asked me if I could help push that crumpled heap of metal out of the road while my flesh still burned from the activated airbags.

SERIOUSLY? WTF???

After that life changing encounter I proudly wore a t-shirt a friend from Florida made for me which said,

If the humidity in Florida doesn’t kill you, the drivers will. ☠️

Sadly nothing has changed since then.

We’re now back in the “Sunshine State” after another cruise and it’s appalling how many crazy assholes and raging lunatics are behind the wheel of a 4,000+ pound missile screaming down the highway at 80 mph or more, while drafting the asses of other 4,000+ pound missiles like dysfunctional NASCAR driver rejects.

You don’t have to go stand hours in line at a Disney ride to feel the thrill of a lifetime. Just drive down any major street for five minutes and you too can see your life pass in front of your eyes. 👀

What’s even more messed up is Flordians proudly admit to this. Crazy.

*Note: Florida is a no fault state so we highly recommend getting extra insurance. We didn’t usually do this for rental cars before but the day of our wreck we did and we were so glad for doing so.

Not-So-Honorable Mention

There’s one last place I have to call out and warn people about but it’s not the entire state so it doesn’t make the list, but if it did, I’d rank it as #2!

U.S. 95 is a deadly stretch of highway that runs north and south in the southwestern part of Nevada. It’s a two lane road in the middle of the desert that requires nerves of steel. Or a case of insanity.

We stopped in the town of Hawthorne to visit the Hawthorne Ordinance Museum which is absolutely incredible, and as I left to continue our journey, two of the older military veterans there warned me to be very careful driving south on this nightmare of a road.

I thought they were screwing with me but they weren’t.

For the next 90 minutes as we made our way to Tonopah, it was a white knuckle and butthole puckering experience as we battled high winds, blowing dust, and drivers with a death wish.

It was like a childhood game of chicken where drivers on both sides of the road would risk everything to pass long lines of semi-trucks and other vehicles with very little time or space to miss oncoming traffic.

This tempting of God’s judgement and grace was too much for this old-school Catholic trouble-maker because doing so meant getting more than whacked by a ruler — it meant the possibility of meeting Jesus in a tuna can.

No thanks, bro!

Just like with cannabis edibles, remember to go slow!

OK, I can’t say what it’s like to try those sweet delicious magic gummies but I’ve “heard” you should take it slow and stay mellow. 😉

Anyhow.

Part of the joy of traveling is being able to experience your adventures at a slower pace. You miss so much when it’s pedal to the metal. The idea is to arrive to your destination safely so please slow down.

And to all those daily drivers frantically racing to get to a job they hate or a family commitment they loathe, why not kick back and listen to some Jimmy Buffet instead? It’s not worth killing yourself or others in the process.

That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!