Washington Ranks as One of the Worst States to Drive in WalletHub’s 2022 Report
Anyone who has driven through Seattle traffic knows how crowded and frustrating driving in Washington State’s largest city can be. But there are other factors that go into whether a state is good to drive in, including the cost of car insurance, weather, condition of the roads, population density, property crime, and rural versus urban makeup. These factors affect road safety and traffic accident rates, commute times, and affordability.
It probably doesn’t come as a big shock to Washingtonians that Washington has, once again, come in as one of the worst states to drive in the nation, according to 31 key indicators analyzed by WalletHub.
If you or a loved one was injured in a car crash in Washington State, you can benefit from the help of an experienced car accident lawyer. The injury attorney can walk you through your legal rights and calculate the true value of your accident claim.
Washington Ranks as One of the Worst States to Drive in WalletHub’s 2022 Report
Washington State ranked 45 out of 50 states in the 2022 report, placing us near the very bottom of the pile yet again. Why does Washington State rank so poorly? The two main reasons that Washington is not considered a good state to drive in are the “Cost of Ownership & Maintenance” at #48 and “Traffic & Infrastructure” at #37. Washington State is in the top five states for highest gas prices (#47) and doesn’t fall into the top 5 states for any positive metrics including, lowest automotive maintenance costs, most car washes per capita, most auto-repair shops per capita, lowest car theft rate, fewest days with precipitation, or lowest percentage of rush-hour traffic congestion.
Methodology
WalletHub completes this analysis every year to help drivers identify the states that provide the best commuting conditions. All 50 states were compared across four key dimensions: 1) Cost of Ownership & Maintenance, 2) Traffic & Infrastructure, 3) Safety and 4) Access to Vehicles & Maintenance.
Each dimension was evaluated using 31 relevant metrics. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best for drivers.
Finally, each state’s weighted average was calculated across all metrics to reach its overall score.
Washington State accident statistics
As reported by the Seattle Times according to data from the Washington State Department of Transportation, Washington had the highest rate of fatal crashes and people killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2021 than it has seen since 2006. In 2021, Washington had 540 fatal crashes that killed more than 600 people. One-hundred and eighteen of those crashes involved the death of a pedestrian or bicyclist. In addition to fatalities, there were 2,411 collisions that resulted in probable serious injuries; this was also the highest number of serious injury crashes seen since 2006 and a 16 percent increase over 2020.
Seek the help of a car accident attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced car accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
