SmartAsset study ranks best and worst U.S. states for drivers

A 2026 study by SmartAsset has ranked U.S. states to determine the best and worst environments for drivers. The analysis utilized a composite score based on four key metrics: traffic fatalities per 100 million miles driven, the condition of interstate highways, gasoline costs relative to median household income, and auto insurance costs relative to median household income.

Massachusetts was ranked as the best state for drivers overall. Rhode Island recorded the lowest traffic fatality rate in the study at 0.5 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, while West Virginia reported the highest rate at 1.6.

California ranked 39th, placing it in the bottom quartile due to high gasoline and auto insurance costs alongside below-average highway quality. While California, Hawai‘i, and Washington have the highest pump prices for regular gasoline, the study found that gasoline costs are highest relative to median household income in Mississippi, Nevada, and West Virginia.