Massachusetts ranked at the bottom of the country in two recent studies on bad drivers. And before you call BS on this data, here’s another interesting fact. Some truck drivers and all rideshare drivers get a lot extra to put up with the roads of The Bay State.  MA Uber and Lyft drivers enjoy a 70% wage bump over the rest of the country. But this pay rate may actually be evidence of another unique aspect of Massachusetts: the state’s culture of standing up for itself. Can you have one (legislative self-advocacy) without the other (aggressive driving)? Read on and find out.

Are Massachusetts drivers the worst in the country?

We’ve previously written that “Massholes” have a reputation as the country’s worst drivers. A LendingTree study ranked Massachusetts drivers as the USA’s worst: annually the state suffers 61.1 driver-related incidents per 1,000 drivers. What’s worse, it records 1.9 fatal accidents linked to aggressive driving–per 100,000 residents. Another study honed in on the worst Massachusetts cities for drivers.

When Allstate ranked the riskiest cities for driving, three Massachusetts towns landed in the entire country’s top 10: Boston, Worcester, and Springfield. The average Boston driver files an insurance claim for a crash every 3.07 years. Los Angeles drivers will go 5.59 years between claims.

The only other state with three cities in the top 10 is California. But since drivers in 110,000-person Springfield suffer accidents more often than Oakland and LA residents, it’s clear Massachusetts has a traffic safety problem.

Do professional drivers demand extra money in Massachusetts?

Another fascinating piece of anecdotal evidence is that many trucking companies are happy to go anywhere in the U.S., except New England. Some call out driving through Massachusetts to reach the far Northeast as “not worth it.” Others lump northeastern New York State into this no-go zone. One anonymous member of the Truckers Report forum claims Don Hummer offered them a $0.10 bonus for every mile driven above the Maryland line. So every roundtrip to Burlington, Vermont, could land you $100.

If you’re not just Dunkin’ in and out of the area, that could really add up.

Other truckers countered that the problem is high tolls, a poor highway infrastructure, routes that force you to drive through cities, and tight surface streets originally designed for horses and carriages. The bonus is not necessarily because of bad local drivers. That said, all the above factors could lead to road rage and unsafe driving among regular commuters or tourists attempting to navigate the state.

Another intriguing detail is Massachusetts’ recent 70% pay bump for all Uber and Lyft drivers. That’s right, rideshare freelancers start at $32.50 an hour in Massachusetts.

What the clam chowder’s going on here?

This isn’t a bonus that Uber and Lyft volunteered to offer drivers, or had to dangle to get anyone to slide behind the wheel in Massachusetts. This is a state-mandated pay bump. Massachusetts’ Attorney General began to investigate claims the tech companies were committing wage violations. The case resulted in a $175 million settlement the companies will pay to past drivers. But that’s not all. As a result, MA voters also passed a ballot initiative that would force Uber and Lyft to give drivers a major raise. They now start at $32.50, get sick time, and a health insurance stipend when they work 15+ hours a week. Benefits even kick in for drivers who split their time taking gig jobs on multiple apps.

Does Massachusetts have a culture of standing up for yourself?

Massachusetts is low-key standing up to big corporations better than any other state in the country. Not only did Massachusetts go to battle against Uber and Lyft, but it took on the automakers. When automakers attempted to outlaw reading check engine light codes outside the dealership, Massachusetts residents saw through the bull. They voted for a ballot initiative that protected our right to repair and saved independent auto shops across the country. Drivers everywhere owe Massachusetts a “thank you.” Or a Sam Adams.

The common sense doesn’t end there. Emissions testing for cars built before the OBD-II system (1996) is complex and difficult. California requires expensive testing machines that require constant calibration—passing on the cost to independent shops and vehicle owners. Jay Leno recently lobbied CA to reconsider this era of classics, but the state held fast. Massachusetts also requires yearly inspections. But on pre-1996 vehicles it just asks the mechanic to check that the engine isn’t producing any extra visible smoke.

The rise of road rage

In the defense of Massachusetts drivers, road rage and risky driving behaviors are on the rise all across the country. An AAA study found that since 2016, honking in anger is up 47%, and purposeful cutoffs are up 67%. Ninety-two percent of study participants witnessed risky maneuvers such as speeding, tailgating, zigzagging, or racing. Twenty percent know of someone who has been threatened with a weapon on the road.

Here’s the most disturbing part. These potentially deadly behaviors are all skyrocketing. But simply yelling at another driver fell by 17%. I’m not advocating being a Masshole. But rolling down your window and giving another driver what-for seems a whole lot better than keeping your rage bottled up until you veer into someone’s lane or pull a gun. Heck, telling somone off for unsafe driving might even nip the behavior in the bud and make the roads safer for us all.

There’s no way to tell if Massachusetts drivers’ behavior and its legislative tradition of standing up for itself are connected. If its citizens hadn’t stood up to the King of England in 1773, there might be no USA. But remember that the Boston Tea Party was a nonviolent protest. The Minute Men only took up arms when communication failed. Modern Massachusetts drivers can probably continue standing up for themselves without running into one another so often.