Now that I have a car that virtually drives itself, it has made me more aware that the biggest threat to my car during my daily commute is the moron behind me. So I've put some thought and 40 years of driving experience and observation into how to decide what car I want behind me on the highway and which ones to let pass to harass someone else.
Cars I feel safe behind me:
My basic profile can be summed up in 3 words: New, expensive, boring.
Why new? Because newer cars are far more likely to have some sort of forward collision mitigation system.
Why expensive? People who buy expensive cars tend to care about them more than someone in a 30 year old rusted out Pontiac Sunbird and drive accordingly. Also, they are more likely to have jobs with flexible hours so not as much in a rush to get to work.
Why boring? Because people who drive 'drivers cars' tend to be more aggressive and frustrated by the fact that while their car can do 0-60 in 5 seconds and tops out at 190, they are still stuck in stop and go traffic like everyone else.
Now on to brands...
VW - Pretty much everything VW makes is a driver's car. There is probably no group of people with more of an unjustified sense of entitlement on the road than VW drivers. Not all of course, but there is certainly a high percentage of 25 year old, backwards baseball cap wearing, Lewis Hamilton wannabee's who tailgate, cut in and out of traffic, and will risk 10 points on their driver's license to move up 1 spot in traffic. I could write an entire book on stupid, dangerous things I've seen VW drivers do.
BMW - Again, these tend to be driver's cars with a few exceptions. These are VW drivers after they've reached a point in life where they can move up in class and price. The lowered number sedans are probably OK, but anything with an M anywhere in it's name is to be avoided like the plague.
Audi - Audi's are a mixed bag. But I find as long as they don't have an S, R or RS in their name, they tend to be more responsible.
Mercedes - Even safer than Audi. As long as you don't see AMG anywhere on the car.
Lexus - The gold standard for expensive and boring. No one buys a Lexus because they want to have fun behind the wheel. You can never go wrong with a Lexus behind you.
Volvo - You can't get much more expensive and boring than this. I'm never worried in front of any newer Volvo. If Lexus is the gold standard, Volvo is platinum.
Honda - Honda's are fine, unless it's the dreaded Civic. Civic drivers are just VW drivers who appreciate quality.
Toyota - These are also some of the best cars on the road to be in front of. Basically cheaper Lexuses but with great safety tech and absolutely no driving joy.
Mazda - Mazda's are fine. They aren't really expensive but people who drive them tend to love them and are careful.
Ford / GM / Chevy / Chrysler / Dodge / Hyundai / Kia and others - These tend to be more type specific than brand specific. Avoid ANY pickup truck. Maybe it's a Minnesota thing but pickup truck driver's tend to be pushy a-holes. And they can't stop quick. And they will crush you like a tin can. Also specifically avoid Chargers, Mustangs, Camaros, Stingers and anything else sporty except for the really high end ones like Corvette's and... well pretty much just them. Not only do they tend to be very careful since they probably bought a car they can't afford to fix, they can stop faster than just about anything on the road. And Jeep Wranglers. They have the stopping distance of a freight train.
Of course above any of this you need to look out for distracted drivers. ANYONE glancing down at their phone or presumably at a laptop on the passenger seat must be avoided like the plague.
I'm sure this post will piss off some and hopefully amuse others. But this is no joke. I haven't had an accident on the interstate in at least 20 years and I drive at least 20 miles each way in rush hour traffic everyday. And this is why.
