Which country has the worst drivers, based on your experience?

Sunday 24th May, 03:58 AM JST

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 46 Total Comments Show All

EUgirl at 10:39 AM JST - 25th May

Russia is quite dangerous. In Finland male drivers never give way to other drivers. I have never driven a car in Japan, so don't really know, but seems ok when observed from a friend's car.
jackfish at 12:32 PM JST - 25th May

Objectively: Japan has one of the lowest traffic fatality rates, per capita, in the world. Greece has one of the highest. But if you look at deaths per km traveled, the rankings shift. By the looks of the statistics, I'd stay off the roads in any former soviet union country. Subjectively: I've driven on 6 continents. France scares me the most. India is simply not doable without a professional driver. Japan is a piece of cake.
Tahoochi at 01:05 PM JST - 25th May

I've only been to North America and some parts of Asia... Shanghai was horrific, someone already mentioned China: "5 rows of cars across a 3 lane road", pedestrians, cyclists have ZERO regard for traffic lights and if you get a little into the country, people doing 100kmh on dirt roads GOING THE WRONG WAY, etc. etc. etc. In the US, Canada, and Japan, I believe things are much different between city driving and country driving... the city is crazy, the country is s-l-o-w. I'd take country driving over city driving any day.
blvtzpk at 02:35 PM JST - 25th May

As a new driver in Japan, I am constantly astounded by poor driving.

As a cyclist and occasional car passenger, I noticed lots of things, but when one's in control of a car, and the lives of others, it's a different matter. I used to notice people rushing through just-turned-red red lights, but now I'm noticing the lack of indication for turns, the tailgating, and, most interestingly, the speeding. Driving on the expressways and doing a tad over the speed limit myself, I'm seeing people doing 1.5x and 2x my speed pass by.

As for parking, well, Japan wasn't designed for cars, so people will park wherever they damn well want - footpaths, driveway entrances, bus stops, even though signs clearly indicate no parking. When you're in a car, you're god...until you see the lights flashing behind you.

Here's the conundrum: When you've paid all that money and spent all that time at driving schools, as you must do in Japan, why aren't better drivers produced?

I guess they must be the same as universities - you pays yer money, and you gets yer degree/license.
Angeldawn at 02:52 PM JST - 25th May

Mexicans by far are the worst drivers. They never use their blinkers or their side view mirrors. I don't think they even bother to see the speed limit and have no qualms what so ever about merging over to your spot and pushing you right off the road. If your a pedestrian you better be ready to dodge out of the way. Never mind their inability to read any of the signs or pay attention to street lights.
sydenham at 02:57 PM JST - 25th May

My home town, although it's not a country, Montreal sometimes seems to have its own rules (or lack of sense of them) about everything. This is good when it comes to strip bars, bad when it comes to trusting the guy who just flipped you the bird for allowing him to cut you off...
tasha77 at 04:28 PM JST - 25th May

My experience.....mexico (cab drivers). Our one reversed over a one way traffic bridge because he missed the turn off. Cars were beeping their horns everywhere but no one slowed down at all especially the cabbie who drove faster going backwards then he did forwards.When we got out we understood why his cab looked like a demolishen derby car.
Mz at 05:24 PM JST - 25th May

Philippines - in Manila I witnessed traffic lights being totally ignored!
Wakarimasen at 05:42 PM JST - 25th May

Japanese are annoying because they do dumb things, but not massively dangerous (witness number of fatalities vs other countries). Places like India (no foreigner can contemplate driving there), South Africa - Africa generally - where deaths on the road are a huge number, Eastern Europe (Moscow especially), Philippines, Vietnam (a unique experience and VERY scary as a passenger) are all more dangerous surely. J dumb things include poor use of indicators, shooting red lights, stopping/parking anywhere (esp. before a corner), driving too slow, poor lane discipline and many more.
Proffesor at 07:47 PM JST - 25th May

Unless if everyone in here has had experience driving in more than 70% of the worlds countries, answers don't just seem to make sense at all.
Leopalace at 10:54 PM JST - 25th May

Hey Proffesor, the headline states "based on your experience", I guess you don't lecture in English?
dishdash at 02:40 AM JST - 26th May

Try Arab countries - u need a tank!
yosun at 03:18 AM JST - 26th May

No doubt it's India. Only after I came India that I realize Hollywood movie- style driving is really existing! If you take highway from Bangalo to Hyderabad for example anytime anyday, you will 100% see car accidentS somewhere!!!!!
wiser_today at 09:37 AM JST - 28th May

Yes, Mz - Manila is so bad! They don't use their brakes - only their horns! If there are 3 lanes going one way, they can quickly make one or two more on the sidewalks to suit their needs. You take your life in your hands when riding in a jeepney, bus, or tricycle.
jonnyboy at 08:37 PM JST - 28th May

my biggest pet peeve about japanese drivers must be the commonly held belief that turning on the hazard lights converts any spot on planet earth into a parking space. i don't need the lights; i can see that you're parked right in the middle of the road!

is this taught in driving schools because it seems to be rampant