WA Is 2nd-Worst State For Driving In The US: Study

SEATTLE — In news that may come as no surprise to anyone with a regular commute, Washington recently earned the distinction of being one of the worst states in the nation to drive in.

Finance firm WalletHub this week released an analysis of driving conditions in all 50 states, using nearly three dozen metrics to rank each based on four key measures: cost of vehicle ownership and maintenance, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to vehicles and maintenance.

Across the 31 "key metrics," Washington ranked well below average in road quality, car maintenance costs, average gas prices and car theft rates. Each state was assigned a score in each category and a weighted overall ranking.

Related: Seattle-Area Drivers Spent 46 Hours In Traffic In 2022

Here are some of Washington's rankings in WalletHub's 2023 Best and Worst States To Drive list:

Overall ranking: 49th

• Cost of ownership & maintenance: 47
• Traffic & infrastructure: 39
• Safety: 20
• Access to vehicles & maintenance: 16

Key metrics:

• Share of rush-hour traffic congestion: 35th
• Car theft rate: 43rd
• Auto-repair shops per capita: 20th
• Average gas prices: 47th
• Auto-maintenance costs: 47th
• Road quality: 46th
• Car dealerships per capita: 20th

Washington ranked higher than only Hawaii, and narrowly trailed Delaware, Rhode Island and Maryland. The five states deemed best to drive in were Iowa, Georgia, Ohio, Oklahoma and North Carolina. Neighboring Idaho came in sixth, and Oregon placed 24th.

>> Read the full report on WalletHub's website.