What are the best and worst cities to drive in?

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

THERE’S NOTHING LIKE TAKING A DRIVE AROUND TOWN. THE SCENERY. THE WIND IN YOUR HAIR. 

THE TRAFFIC? 

WELL I SUPPOSE SOME PLACES ARE MORE PLEASANT TO DRIVE THROUGH THAN OTHERS – AND WALLETHUB AGREES. THE COMPANY JUST RELEASED ITS 2024 LIST OF THE BEST AND WORST CITIES TO DRIVE IN.

LOOKING AT THE 100 MOST POPULATED CITIES IN THE US – WALLETHUB COMPARED THEM FOR THIS STUDY USING FOUR KEY CATEGORIES —

Cost of Ownership and Maintenance,

Traffic and Infrastructure,

Safety, and

Access to Vehicles and Maintenance.

AND UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES WERE 30 DIFFERENT METRICS FOR A PARTICULAR CITY – INCLUDING AVERAGE GAS PRICES, AVERAGE MONTHLY CAR INSURANCE PREMIUMS, ANNUAL HOURS SPENT IN CONGESTION, AVERAGE COMMUTE TIME, NUMBER OF DAYS WITH PRECIPITATION, TRAFFIC FATALITY RATE, NUMBER OF ADULTS WHO ALWAYS WEAR SEAT BELTS,  RATE OF CAR THEFTS, AND NUMBER OF AUTO-REPAIR SHOPS, CAR WASHES AND PARKING LOTS.

SO NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE METHODOLOGY – YOU PROBABLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT CITY CAME IN AT NUMBER ONE. WELL, HERE ARE THE TOP 5 BEST CITIES TO DRIVE IN ACCORDING TO WALLETHUB.

AT NUMBER ONE IS RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, FOLLOWED BY BOISE, IDAHO, CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA AND JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA.

WHAT MAKES RALEIGH SO SPECIAL FOR DRIVERS?  WALLETHUB SAYS IT’S THE BEST CITY BECAUSE IT’S AN INEXPENSIVE ONE – RANKING LOW IN CATEGORIES LIKE NEW CAR PRICES AND PARKING RATES. WHILE IT RANKS HIGH WHEN IT COMES TO DRIVERS WEARING SEAT BELTS AND ONE OF THE BEST CITIES FOR ROAD MAINTENANCE.

NOW THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE BEST CITIES – WE GOT TO TAKE A STROLL THROUGH THE WORST ONES OUT OF THE 100 WALLETHUB COMPARED.

DETROIT MICHIGAN COMES IN AT NUMBER 96

THEN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – SAN FRANCISCO, PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA – AND AT NUMBER 100 – THE WORST CITY TO DRIVE IN PER WALLETHUB IS OAKLAND CALIFORNIA –

WHICH RANKED THE WORST IN COST OF OWNERSHIP AND MAINTENANCE RISK AND TOWARDS THE BOTTOM OF SAFETY RISK.

AND ACCORDING TO THE LATEST DATA FROM TRIPLE A RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER – DRIVERS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 60 POINT 7 MINUTES ON THE ROAD EACH DAY – WITH SOME CITIES OFFERING BETTER PERKS THAN OTHERS FOR WHEN YOU DO GET BEHIND THE WHEEL.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M CRAIG NIGRELLI.

FOR MORE OF OUR STORIES, VISIT SAN DOT COM OR DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP.