Is Your Job Affecting Your Driving?

Study Shows Which Occupations Crash The Most

If you believe the old adage that you are what you eat, it follows in the car insurance business that you're likely to drive what's on your mind. To put it plainly, when people are stressed and in a hurry, they tend to get in more accidents.

Recently, Quality Planning Corp. and Insure.com released their list of the top most crash-prone professions. Not surprisingly, the list probably aligns quite well with the types of jobs your mother always thought you'd do one day.

Perhaps it's a sign that the people getting in the most accidents tend to have the most stressful jobs. There's no yoga instructor on this list.

The top ten list sure looks like an overachiever's roll call and many of the professions on the list tend to get called into duty with some urgency.

Here's the list of the top ten, with Insure.com's speculation about why each profession tends to rank so highly (in italics) :

1. Doctors

Per year, every 1,000 doctors average 109 accidents and 44 speeding tickets, landing them at the top of the list. Are these sleep-deprived residents and interns too tired to stay on the road, or do they just enjoy playing God in traffic?

2. Lawyers

Per year, every 1,000 lawyers average 106 accidents and 37 speeding tickets. No need to chase ambulances when you're already at the scene of an accident!

3. Architects

Per year, every 1,000 architects average 105 accidents and 72 speeding tickets. They may make a living at the drafting table, but on the road they can't seem to draw the line.

4. Real estate brokers

Per year, every 1,000 real estate brokers average 102 accidents and 39 speeding tickets. No big secret why — have you ever seen a realtor without a cell phone glued to his or her head?

5. Enlisted military personnel

Per year, every 1,000 enlisted military personnel average 99 accidents and 78 speeding tickets. Hey, you're not driving tanks, and cars are not targets!

6. Social workers

Per year, every 1,000 enlisted social workers average 98 accidents and 33 speeding tickets. Looks like their concern for others doesn't extend to fellow drivers.

7. Manual laborer

Per year, every 1,000 manual laborers average 96 accidents and 77 speeding tickets. For everyone's sake, these guys need a brake.

8. Analysts

Per year, every 1,000 analysts average 95 accidents and 40 speeding tickets. Perhaps if they analyzed how much they could save with a good driver discount, they'd be more careful.

9. Engineers

Per year, every 1,000 engineers average 94 accidents and 51 speeding tickets. It's probably not a good idea to use a slide rule while driving.

10. Consultants

Per year, every 1,000 consultants average 94 accidents and 50 speeding tickets. Perhaps they could give themselves advice on how to be better drivers.


Do you find your profession on the list? Don't be alarmed if you fall into one of the above categories. While some insurance policies will ask for your profession when they write your policy, it's unlikely you'll be penalized if you tell them you're a doctor or lawyer given this information.

Car insurance policies are representative of a number of different factors, not the least of which is your driving record and the location of your vehicle when it's parked at night. No policy is given solely on a piece of data such as your profession.

In other words, this isn't a crafty excuse to drop out of medical school. Just be careful out there.

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