MA Ranked Among Worst States in the Country to Drive In

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

GoLocalWorcester News Team

The State of Massachusetts is ranked as the worst state in the country for traffic and infrastructure, making it one of the worst states in the country to drive in.

According to a recent study completed by WalletHub, Massachusetts is ranked as the seventh worst state in the U.S. to rive in, ranking 44th out of 40.

“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 costs the average driver $1,400 per year in the U.S., which has 11 out of the world’s 25 worst cities for traffic.

Congestion isn’t the only concern on the road, though. 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 13 of 138 when it comes to road quality,” said WalletHub.

MA’s Rankings

48th - Highest Auto Maintenance Costs
40th Best - Cost of ownership & Maintenance
50th Best - Traffic & Infrastructure
4th Best - Safety
9th Best - Access to Vehicles & Maintenance

The Rankings

Massachusetts is ranked behind New Jersey and Rhode Island, who rank 42nd and 43rd respectively.

Massachusetts is ranked ahead of Alaska and Connecticut, who rank 45th and 46th respectively.

Texas is ranked as the best state for drivers, while Hawaii is ranked as the worst state for drivers.

See the Rankings in the Map Below

Source: WalletHub

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.

They evaluated those dimensions using 23 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best for drivers.

Finally, they determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score.

Cost of Ownership & Maintenance – Total Points: 30

Average Gas Prices: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Average Annual Car Insurance Premium: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Auto-Maintenance Costs: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
Total Extra Vehicle Operating Costs per Driver: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Traffic & Infrastructure – Total Points: 30

Share of Rush-Hour Traffic Congestion: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Number of Days with Precipitation: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Number of Icy Days: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Average Commute Time by Car (in Minutes): Double Weight (~8.00 Points)
Road Quality: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)
Bridge Quality: Half Weight (~2.00 Points)
Roadway Miles per 1,000 Persons: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)

Safety – Total Points: 30

Traffic Indiscipline: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Traffic Fatality Rate: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Car Theft Rate: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Larceny Rate: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Strictness of DUI Punishment: Half Weight (~2.50 Points)
Strictness of High-Risk Driving: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
Driving-Laws Rating: Half Weight (~2.50 Points)

Access to Vehicles & Maintenance – Total Points: 10

Car Dealerships per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Auto-Repair Shops per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Car Washes per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Gas Stations per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)
Parking Lots and Garages per Capita*: Full Weight (~2.00 Points)

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MA Ranked Among Worst States in the Country to Drive In

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