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Bumper Stickers in the U.S. - Who, What, Where, and Why?

If you're the kind of guy that appreciates the work that was put into your car's exterior look by the designers - and you should; after all, it was your decision to buy it - then you probably think bumper stickers are plain stupid.
Bumper stickers on a Prius 5 photos
Photo: The Hamster Factor via Flickr
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However, a drive on the country's roads will show you that you might be in the minority, especially if you wander through the southern states. A study carried on by Cheap Car Insurance on over 2,000 U.S. drivers revealed that 68 percent of the people who live in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee and own a car have also embellished its bumper with a sticker.

The affinity goes down as you venture more to the north, near the Great Lakes, or to the west, but it barely drops below 50 percent. And just so you know the next time you see a sticker on the car in front of you, the study shows it's more likely that vehicle is driven by a woman, with 63 percent of them inclined to put one on their bumper compared to just 50 percent for the men.

The preferred topic for bumper stickers across the country is sports. Whether it's their favorite basketball team or just their way of letting people know they jog, 17 percent of those who own stickers opt for something related to sports, fitness or leisure activities.

Coming close in second at 16 percent is politics, followed by the people's desire to share the college they've graduated from with everyone. Humor is the next favorite topic, with pop culture, family, and pets completing the top of the list. At the other end sit gun-related stickers, with just four percent.

Speaking about the people's perception of the driver based on the stickers on their car, 41 percent of the respondents said they find gun stickers to advertise an aggressive driver, while Trump/Pence ones indicate an ignorant one, as does the Confederate flag.

The one category that received the most overwhelmingly positive reaction was the one declaring support for U.S. military troops. The next two best alternatives are the one announcing the completion of a marathon (26.2) and that which suggests the driver is the proud parent of an honor roll student, which we find a bit weird because they both offer completely useless information that only serves to boost that person's ego.

However, neither of these last two will make people think you're 'smart and considerate.' You can check out the entire study at this link to make sure you send out the right message about yourself when you pick your next bumper sticker.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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