The United States has the most roads on the planet, with over 4 million miles of open roads. The 50 states offer all kinds of driving experiences, including coastal highways, one lanes in the desert, mountain paths, vast suburbs, and bustling cities. However, some states offer better operating conditions than others. Our team has looked into the best and worst states in the country for driving and what it means to your car insurance.
What are the best and worst conditions for driving?
To determine the best and worst states for driving, the insurance editorial team evaluated four key factors: traffic, accidents, theft and extreme weather. Not only will these affect your driving experience, they can play a role in deciding whether to pay for car insurance. High traffic, high accident charges, ramp-extended vehicle theft, extreme weather all make you more likely to file a higher bill. To compensate for this additional risk, car insurance premiums are usually set a little higher.
The different conditions stood out for better or worse in different categories. Rhode Island, for example, had some of the poorest road conditions, but ranked well in terms of low traffic congestion. California, meanwhile, scored poorly in multiple categories.
Of course, considering the best and worst conditions for driving, personal preferences cannot be ignored. One person’s dream commute on a windy mountain highway is another person’s nightmare. Ultimately, the best and worst conditions for driving change from person to person.
traffic jam
In 2024, Americans lost an average of 43 hours in traffic. However, some parts of the country were better than others in terms of crowding. To measure traffic congestion, we looked at the Federal Highway Administration’s 2022 report on vehicle miles travelling by lane mile. This metric captures the number of cars driving on a particular road over a certain period of time.
California had the busiest roads, while Alaska was the least crowded. Vermont had the second busiest road. Interestingly, Rhode Island had the lowest level of traffic congestion despite being a densely populated state.
accident
During the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic hit, many drivers were working from home, opting to shop in person or generally off the road to deliver grocery items. The restrictions were relaxed around March 2022, and driving has increased dramatically. According to the Federal Highway Traffic Administration, Americans drove an estimated 277.4 billion miles in March 2022. The pandemic is a five-year rearview mirror and it’s safe to say drivers are back on the road. Fortunately, this revival of driving has not resulted in a sharp rise in the accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimated that in the first nine months of 2024, approximately 29,000 people lost their lives in car accidents, down 4.4% from the same period in 2023.
Texas, California and Florida experienced the highest total number of traffic lethals in 2023. However, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arizona, Kentucky and West Virginia have the highest rates of car accidents per 100 million vehicle miles. Meanwhile, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Utah and Wisconsin were the lowest.
State with the highest rate of car accident deaths
| state | Vehicle accident fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles (VMT) | Deaths from a car accident in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 1.73 | 715 |
| South Carolina | 1.70 | 1,028 |
| Arizona | 1.69 | 1,315 |
| Kentucky | 1.65 | 828 |
| West Virginia | 1.64 | 267 |
State with the lowest mortality rates for car accidents
| state | Vehicle accident fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles (VMT) | Deaths from a car accident in 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | .56 | 348 |
| Minnesota | .71 | 418 |
| New Jersey | .78 | 615 |
| Yuta | .80 | 280 |
| Wisconsin | .87 | 584 |
theft
California was the top state for vehicle theft in 2024, overtaking other states with long shots. Last year, 181,571 vehicle thefts were reported in Golden State, according to a report obtained by Bankrate from the National Insurance Crime Bureau. To put this figure in perspective, California had around 100,000 reports of vehicle theft than its second state, Texas. Wyoming was last coming, and in 2024 there were fewer than 1,000 vehicles stolen.
California is a massive state, so in a way it makes sense to record a lot of thefts, but looking at the per capita theft, California is still at the top of the state’s list. Only Washington, DC outperforms California with car thefts per 100,000 people.
Most common vehicle theft
| State/district | Vehicle thefts per 10,000 people in 2024 |
|---|---|
| Washington DC | 842.40 |
| California | 463.21 |
| New Mexico | 458.24 |
| Colorado | 430.04 |
| Nevada | 394.42 |
The least amount of vehicle theft
| State/district | Vehicle thefts per 10,000 people in 2024 |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 48.35 |
| Idaho | 68.18 |
| main | 78.59 |
| Wyoming | 95.54 |
| West Virginia | 101.89 |
Vehicle theft is only covered when carrying what is known as comprehensive coverage. Without it, you will have to pay to replace the vehicle from your pocket. Comprehensive coverage is optional. That is, it is not part of the state’s minimum compensation requirements. However, if you use a loan to buy a vehicle, it may be a requirement from your financial lender. In areas where the vehicle is stolen, insurance companies typically charge more for this coverage type.
Extreme weather
Extreme weather is a hot topic for home insurance, but your car could also be a victim of Mother Nature. For example, in the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfire, the California Department of Insurance reported more than $73 million in auto insurance claims, representing 5,597 claims.
Extreme weather conditions can affect car insurance in one or more ways. Hail, wildfires and floods can all directly damage your vehicle. In that case, you will need to file a claim based on some of the policy’s comprehensive coverage. Extreme weather also affects infrastructure, making roads even more dangerous. In fact, rising temperatures are expected to add another $19 billion each year to pavement repair costs by 2040.
A report from ConsumerAffairs examined climate, weather, soil conditions and road construction materials to determine the states with the best and worst road conditions. Indiana ranked number one overall thanks to a low proportion of roads in both urban and rural areas. New Mexico was the last time and over 40% of urban roads have become poorly shaped.
State with the best road conditions
| state | Percentage of urban roads in poor condition | Percentage of poorly-conditioned country roads |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Alabama | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Idaho | 10.1% | 4.0% |
| Minnesota | 13.7% | 6.6% |
| Kansas | 10.4% | 3.9% |
State with worst road conditions
| state | Percentage of urban roads in poor condition | Percentage of poorly-conditioned country roads |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 41.7% | 30.7% |
| Mississippi | 40.9% | 27.6% |
| Hawaii | 44.3% | 28.5% |
| Louisiana | 38.2% | 21.2% |
| Rhode Island | 39.3% | 32.2% |
Conclusion
Knowing your state’s driving risks will help you inform your compensation decision. Are there a lot of vehicle thefts in your area? Consider comprehensive coverage. Is your state having poor road conditions? Roadside assistance could be a wise addition to your policy. If you’re in doubt, chatting with a local licensed insurance agent can help shed light on the coverage types you need for nearby roads.
