Slideshow February 28, 2025 at 06:00 AM
The average cost of full coverage car insurance in the U.S. is 12% higher in 2025, according to Bankrate.
Indiana
- Indiana is the third-best state to drive in, boasting the second-best road quality and the ninth-lowest traffic congestion in the country. It also takes road safety very seriously, with the fourth-strictest driving laws. These factors have helped improve driving conditions in the state, with traffic fatalities declining by nearly 17% between 2021 and 2022, the third-highest percentage.
- Indiana also makes it very convenient to be a car owner. Everyone knows the nightmare scenario of not being able to find a gas station when you’re running on fumes, but Indiana has the 10th-most gas stations per capita. It also has the 13th-most auto dealerships, the 14th-most auto repair shops, and the 15th-most car washes per capita.
- On top of all that, Indiana helps drivers keep their expenses low, with the seventh-lowest average car insurance rate, the 15th-lowest auto maintenance costs and the second-lowest miscellaneous vehicle operating costs.
Idaho
- Idaho is the second-best state to drive in, in part due to the success it’s had in decreasing deaths on the road. Between 2021 and 2022 (the most recent years for which data is available), the state’s traffic fatality rate decreased by nearly 20%, the highest percentage in the country. Idaho also has very low crime rates, with the fewest larcenies and the fourth-fewest motor vehicle thefts per capita.
- In addition, Idaho has the fifth-lowest prevalence of speeding and the fourth-lowest prevalence of harsh braking. Combined with well-maintained roadways, this helps reduce the danger of accidents. But if you do get into a crash in Idaho, you’ll be happy to know that only 6.2% of drivers are uninsured, the second-lowest percentage in the country.
- Idaho residents also can save a lot of money on their vehicle expenses. The Gem State has the fifth-lowest average car insurance rate in the nation. It also has the sixth-lowest auto maintenance costs and the fourth-lowest miscellaneous vehicle operating costs.
Kansas
- Kansas is the best state for drivers, due in large part to the quality and safety of its roads. Kansas has the third-best road quality in the U.S., and well-maintained motorways are essential for minimizing crashes. Keeping roads paved well probably isn’t too hard, though, given that Kansas is “flatter than a pancake.” Drivers also stay relatively well-behaved, as the Sunflower State has the sixth-lowest prevalence of speeding, along with relatively few drivers who accelerate aggressively or brake harshly.
- Kansas has the sixth-most roadway miles per capita in the country, yet its residents enjoy the seventh-lowest average commute time by car, at just over 20 minutes. That suggests that while the population may be spread out, people tend to live close to their jobs and don’t get stuck in traffic often. Since Kansas has a small population and lots of farmland, it makes sense that it has the seventh-lowest traffic congestion rate too.
- Finally, Kansas is a relatively cheap state for owning a car. It has the 12th-lowest average gas prices in the country and the 10th-lowest auto maintenance costs. It also has the fifth-lowest miscellaneous vehicle operating costs, which encompasses things like damage due to badly-maintained roads, as well as lost time and fuel due to congestion.
