Wisconsin Ranked Fourth Best State for Drivers

Idaho is the best state for drivers, according to new research from Bankrate.com. The worst state for drivers is Louisiana.

Bankrate.com ranked all 50 states according to several factors such as fatal crashes, car thefts, average commute times, gasoline spending, repair costs and insurance premiums.

Idaho topped the list due to its low gas and insurance expenses, below-average thefts and short commute times. Vermont, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Minnesota rounded out the five best states for drivers.

Louisiana placed last on the list in large part because of the nation’s highest car insurance costs and an above-average fatal crash rate. California, Texas, Maryland and New Jersey comprise the rest of the bottom five.

“Population density has a big effect on these rankings,”explained Chris Kahn, Bankrate.com’s research and statistics analyst. “The best states for drivers have lots of wide-open spaces, whereas the worst states tend to be filled with people and cars – a bad combination for drivers’ wallets.”