By Robert Mittendorf The Bellingham Herald
Washington state is one of the worst places to drive in the U.S.A., according to a report released Tuesday that cites the state’s bad roads, high gas prices and expensive insurance rates for its low ranking.
Despite the Northwest’s enduring beauty, the Evergreen State was 48th in the nation overall, behind Rhode Island (49) and Hawaii (50), according to the personal finance website WalletHub.
“Having driven in a lot of different states, Washington ranks up there on my worst places to drive,” said Jeremy Mase of Bellingham.
“The drivers are horrid,” he said on The Bellingham Herald’s page on Facebook. “The roads are in bad repair. Gas is outrageous. So yeah, it’s in my top 3.”
Washington’s third-worst status was based on statistics that showed the state is:
— 43rd in car-theft rate.
— 48th in average gas prices.
— 40th in car maintenance costs.
— 44th in road quality.
— 32nd in share of rush-hour congestion.
“Worst drivers I’ve ever encountered,” said Emily Peter of Bellingham. “Was shocked when we moved here and our insurance went up significantly. The gas here makes Illinois look like a bargain.
Average U.S. gas price was $2.54 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA’s nationwide survey. Washington state was $3.12, third-highest in the nation.
Seattle was the sixth most congested city in the U.S., according to a 2019 report from INRIX Research, which said that Seattle drivers lost an average 138 hours to traffic delays at an annual cost of $1,932.
A 2019 Northwest Poll from PEMCO Insurance showed aggressive driving on the rise across Oregon and Washington.