Texas drivers may have strong opinions about who has the worst habits on the road, but when it comes to the actual conditions behind the wheel, a new nationwide study suggests the Lone Star State is simply average.
A newly released ranking of the best and worst states for drivers evaluated all 50 states using several key factors: auto insurance costs as a percentage of household income, the price of a 15-gallon tank of gas relative to weekly earnings, traffic fatality rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, and the percentage of interstate highway pavement rated in good condition.
Texas tied with Colorado for 26th place overall, landing it squarely in the middle of the pack. Massachusetts claimed the top spot nationally.
Within Texas specifically, about 65 percent of interstate highways were rated in good condition, and the state recorded approximately 1.2 traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Meanwhile, a 15-gallon tank of gas consumes roughly 3.47 percent of a Texan’s median weekly income, while auto insurance premiums account for about 2.05 percent of earnings.
Rising fuel and insurance costs continue to weigh on household budgets nationwide, with vehicle ownership costs, including loans, maintenance, fuel and insurance, now averaging well over $11,000 annually for most Americans, despite growing investment in public transit alternatives.
By comparison, South Dakota boasts the nation’s best interstate conditions at 84 percent rated “good,” while Hawaii has the worst at just 15 percent. Rhode Island recorded the lowest fatality rate nationally at 0.5 per 100 million miles, while West Virginia posted the highest at 1.6.
Rounding out the top 10 best states for drivers behind Massachusetts are Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Utah, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Indiana and South Dakota.
On the opposite end, the worst states for drivers include Louisiana, Mississippi, Hawaii, West Virginia, Montana, Arizona, Oregon, Maine, New Mexico and Arkansas, according to the rankings.
