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Worst driving city in the United States? Washington, D.C.

Michael James

Washington, D.C., has the worst traffic of any city in the United States.

Like all major metropolitan areas, Washington, D.C., has its strengths and weaknesses. One dubious distinction is its designation as the worst city in the United States for driving.

That’s the assessment of the personal-finance website WalletHub.com In its new study, which tabulates 21 metrics — average gas prices to delayed traffic time to auto shop repairs per capita — Washington, D.C., is the worst city among the country’s top -100 most populated cities for driving.

Conversely, Scottsdale, Ariz., is the country’s best metropolitan area for driving. Arizona has five of top-10 best driving cities. Scottsdale is followed by Tuscon (2), Gilbert (4), Mesa (5) and Chandler (6). Corpus Christi, Texas, ranks third in the study, followed by Loredo, Texas, (8), Las Vegas, NV (9) and Tampa, Fla., (10).

Washington, D.C., has the worst traffic of any city in the United States.
Washington, D.C., is the worst driving city in the United States, according to WalletHub.com.

Washington, D.C., is followed in the worst driving cities list by Detroit, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Md., Oakland, Ca., New York, Seattle and Boston.

The website compiled its list via the premise that “gas prices tending to peak during the summer months and Americans collectively losing about $124 billion in wasted time and fuel due just to traffic congestion.”

Here are additional statistics in the site’s worst-best driving study

* Lubbock, Texas, has the fewest average annual hours of traffic delays per car commuter, 12, which is seven times fewer than in Washington, the city with the most, 82.

* Irvine, Calif., has the lowest rate of car thefts per 1,000 residents, 0.52, which is 31 times lower than in Oakland, Calif., the city with the highest, 15.90.

* Orlando, Fla., has the highest number of auto-repair shops per 100,000 residents, 266.16, which is 12 times higher than in Boston, the city with the lowest,22.51.

* Tulsa, Okla., has the lowest average gas price, $2.04 per gallon, which is 1.5 times lower than in Chicago, the city with the highest, $3.02 per gallon.

Durham, N.C., has the lowest average parking rate, $2.00 per two hours, which is 12 times lower than in Boston, the city with the highest, $23.79 per two hours.

For the full report and to see where your city ranks, please visit: WALLETHUB.COM.

Article Last Updated: July 19, 2016.

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