Massachusetts residents are often unfairly forced to wear the label of “bad driver,” or more colloquially “Masshole,” as a scarlet letter. But, put bluntly, it’s a bum rap. In fact, quite the opposite is true. A new survey pegs Massachusetts as one of the top 10 states in the country (including Washington D.C.) when it comes to getting behind the wheel, and you may be surprised which states round out the other end of the spectrum.

The study conducted by Car Insurance Comparison was compiled using data and statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Motorists Association, and Mothers Against Drink Driving. Five categories were used to levy rankings – fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, failure to obey (traffic signals and seat belts), drunk driving, careless driving, and tickets – and in all but one, Massachusetts scored impeccably.

You can probably guess which category didn’t register as well as the others.

Including the District of Columbia, our great commonwealth was designated the 10th best state when it comes to driving, it’s only fault coming in the category of drunk driving, where it came in at 44th.

Otherwise the Bay State boomed, snagging the number one spot in fatalities, the 18th spot in failure to obey, the ninth spot in careless driving, and the 21st spot in tickets.

So there you have it. This whole Masshole thing is a complete figment of your imagination. And really, bad driving pertains to everywhere but New England. Vermont ranked number one overall while fellow states New Hampshire, Maine, and Connecticut clocked in at numbers three, four, and five, respectively.

Interestingly enough, all of the states housing people who drive like Mr. Magoo are situated in the Deep South, including, in order of atrociousness Louisiana, South Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, and Florida. Apparently “everything’s bigger in Texas” applies to their incompetence on the road.

Now all we need up here in Mass. is someone to tell this guy it’s not kosher to act like this when cruising Comm. Ave:

Happy driving!