Some drivers love to brag about their spotless record. Others quietly hope no one ever runs their license or insurance claim history. That wide range shows up in a new national study that measures how honest Americans really are behind the wheel. What’s more, it puts certain groups of owners in a surprising spot. Tesla drivers admitted they had the urge to fib their way out of a citation, but they still outscored six car brands that came in dead last for honesty.

The survey comes from a nationwide honesty test taken by 4,000 licensed drivers in October 2025.

Researchers built the test around the honesty humility trait of the HEXACO Personality Inventory, then applied it to real-world driving situations

Participants rated how likely they were to stay truthful after scratching someone’s car, how they would handle an insurance claim, and whether they would accept blame or try to dodge it during a traffic stop.

Across the country, the average driver scored just over 61 points out of 80. Idaho led the pack with 63 points. Arizona and Florida followed close behind. Maryland ended up at the bottom with 59.51, trailing New York and Delaware.

The spread between the top and bottom states was only a few points, which suggests Americans have similar ideas about right and wrong, even if some states stick the landing better than others.

Driver age played a major role

Drivers 75 and older scored the highest at 66.87. Drivers under 25 scored the lowest at 58.33 and often rated themselves far safer than their test results showed.

Several states also showed big gaps between confidence and conduct

Mississippi posted the widest one at 22.6 percentage points.

When the questions turned to minor parking lot damage, Oregon drivers led the way, with nearly 86% saying they would leave their contact information. Oklahoma drivers were the most likely to move on without a note.

The brand breakdown revealed the biggest surprises

Mini drivers earned the lowest honesty score at 57.31.

Mitsubishi drivers topped the charts with 64 points.

And yes, Tesla drivers fell in with 59.86 points, as more than half reported they would try to talk their way out of a speeding ticket. Still, they’re ahead of Acura, Volvo, Ram, Pontiac, Lexus, and Audi drivers.

Wheelsaway, a junk car removal service, released the survey analysis.