A new study ranks Maryland as the fifth worst state to drive in. The rankings were recently released by the finance website, WalletHub.com.
The study compared all 50 states using 31 metrics or indicators of a positive driving experience. The indicators were grouped into four categories and given a weighted score. Those categories include:
- Cost to own and maintain a car
- Traffic congestion and road conditions
- Safety
- Access to purchase and maintain a car
Maryland ranked 37th in the country for cost to own and maintain car, 50th for traffic congestion and road conditions, 19th for safety, and 18th for access to purchase and maintain a car. Overall Maryland ranked the fifth worst state for motorists.
The ten worst states for motorists are Hawaii (#1), Rhode Island (#2), Delaware (#3), California (#4), Maryland (#5), Washington (#6), Colorado (#7), Michigan (#8), Missouri (#9), and Wyoming (#10).
Iowa was ranked the best state to drive in. Virginia came in at number 14.
Data used by WalletHub to create this ranking were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Energy, Council for Community and Economic Research, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Insurance Information Institute, National Insurance Crime Bureau, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Prediction Center, American Automobile Association, The Road Information Program, Federal Highway Administration, State Farm, QuinStreet Insurance Agency, EverQuote and WalletHub research.
For more information on WalletHub’s study, click here.
