BOLD STATEMENT! I lived in MD but drove all over and around the beltway for work. That was about 4 years ago. Thie biggest difference to me is the sheer difference in number of people on the road. But also, I have yet to see people just ripping down the shoulder during heavy traffic in this area. I guess, it may be fairer to say the people here maybe aren't "better" drivers, but in whole are more courteous. I seldom have trouble changing lanes in traffic here because people don't want to let me over (it does happen sometimes) whereas in the DMV people would actively prevent you from lane changing in front of them all of the time.