NEW: RI Ranked One of Worst States for Driving in U.S.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
When it comes to driving, Rhode Island is one of the worst places in the U.S., according to a new study.
WalletHub announced Tuesday that Rhode Island is the second-worst state in the country for driving.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“Everyone hates being stuck in traffic. It makes you late, and causes many people’s tempers to flare up. But it’s also quite bad for your wallet – in fact, congestion cost U.S. drivers $87 billion in 2018, as well as an average of 97 hours of their time. The U.S. also has three out of the world’s 25 worst cities for traffic, and 18 of the worst 25 in North America,” writes WalletHub.
This latest ranking comes after Rhode Island’s highway systems were ranked as one of the worst in the country by the Reason Foundation in their 24th annual Highway Report.
As GoLocalProv reported, RI’s bridges also rank among the worst in the country, despite hundreds of millions in investment.
“People want to know that they will be driving on safe, well-maintained roads before heading out. The U.S. has a fairly good track record in these regards, but certainly doesn’t top the list. For example, the World Economics Forum only places the U.S. at rank 17 of 141 when it comes to road quality,” adds WalletHub.
RI’s Rankings
- 7th Worst - Cost of ownership & maintenance
- 4th Worst - Traffic and infrastructure
- 6th Best - Safety
- 5th Worst - Access to vehicles and maintenance
- 4th Worst - Car washes per capita
The Rankings
Rhode Island is ranked ahead of only Hawaii, who ranks last.
RI ranks directly behind California and Washington, who rank 47th and 48th respectively.
Iowa is ranked as the best state for driving.
See the Full Rankings Below
The Method
To help drivers identify the states that provide the best commuting conditions, WalletHub compared the 50 states across four key dimensions: 1) Cost of Ownership & Maintenance, 2) Traffic & Infrastructure, 3) Safety and 4) Access to Vehicles & Maintenance.
WalletHub evaluated those dimensions using 31 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best for drivers.
Finally, WalletHub determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and ranking.
Cost of Ownership & Maintenance – Total Points: 30
- Average Gas Prices: Triple Weight (~12.86 Points)
- Average Annual Car Insurance Premium: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
- Auto-Maintenance Costs: Double Weight (~8.57 Points)
- Total Extra Vehicle Operating Costs per Driver: Full Weight (~4.29 Points)
Traffic & Infrastructure – Total Points: 30
- Share of Rush-Hour Traffic Congestion: Double Weight (~6.00 Points)
- Increase in Vehicle Travel on Highways (2017 vs. 2000): Half Weight (~1.50 Points)
- Number of Days with Precipitation: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
- Number of Icy Days: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
- Number of Strong Wind & Hail Storms Reports: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
- Average Commute Time by Car (in Minutes): Double Weight (~6.00 Points)
- Road Quality: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
- Bridge Quality: Half Weight (~1.50 Points)
- Roadway Miles per 1,000 Persons: Full Weight (~3.00 Points)
Safety – Total Points: 30
- Traffic Indiscipline: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Share of Adults Who Always or Nearly Always Wear a Seatbelt: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Traffic Fatality Rate: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Change in Traffic Fatality Rate (2017 vs. 2016): Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Car Theft Rate: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Larceny Rate: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Strictness of DUI Punishment: Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
- Strictness of High-Risk Driving: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Driving-Laws Rating: Half Weight (~1.36 Points)
- Share of Uninsured Drivers: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Likelihood of Collision with Deer: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
- Animal Loss Claims per Total Number of Drivers: Full Weight (~2.73 Points)
Access to Vehicles & Maintenance – Total Points: 10
- Car Dealerships per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Auto-Repair Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Car Washes per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Gas Stations per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Alternative Fuel Stations per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
- Parking Lots and Garages per Capita*: Full Weight (~1.67 Points)
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