Driving in the U.S. — It’s a Jungle Out There

Nationwide released a survey a few weeks ago that perfectly fits the now, annual, vacation season in the United States. It’s not a pretty picture.

Mark McGhiey is the Commercial Risk Management Leader at Nationwide. He said some important conclusions were reached in the survey.

Drivers say aggressive driving, reckless driving and phone use have made roads in the U.S. unpredictable. Around 40% say stress and mistrust are growing and 66% have witnessed road rage incidents.

No way are parents happy to let their children be behind a wheel. In some situations, 40% say they’d trust an autonomous vehicle over their teen’s driving. Drivers for businesses are seeing bad behavior and worsening conditions from distraction to recklessness.

• 91% see more phone use in cars and trucks than last year

• 90% have seen more aggressive drivers than they did 12 months ago

• 87% are seeing more reckless driving now than they did in 2025

• 57% say traffic congestion is worse than last year

• 70% have witnessed road rage

• 33% admit other drivers give them road rage

And — 40% say driving is stressful.

“Driving no longer feels as predictable or routine as it once did,” McGhiey said. “Many describe a road environment with more distractions, more tension and less trust in the people around them. These conditions are particularly concerning for company drivers as many worry about the threat of accidents, injuries and the ripple effects on future employment opportunities.”

Source link: Nationwide — https://bit.ly/4xik8RT