Community Corner

This MI City Is Among The Worst For Driving: Ranking

One Michigan city is near the bottom for places to drive among the largest cities in the nation, according to a new WalletHub ranking.

Detroit is near the bottom for places to drive among the largest cities in the nation, according to a new WalletHub ranking.

The study ranked the top 100 cities in the U.S. across 30 key metrics for driver-friendliness. Some key topics include average gas prices, hours spent in traffic and the likelihood of accidents.

Detroit is ranked No. 96. The city scored low marks in cost of ownership and maintenance and traffic and infrastructure, as well as coming in dead last for safety.

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Only New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia earned a low ranking.

"Living in one of the best cities to drive in can make owning and maintaining a car much cheaper," WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said. "However, costs aren’t the only factors that matter; the best cities for drivers also minimize commute times and traffic congestion, have accident rates well below the national average and keep their roads in good condition."

Find out what's happening in Across Michiganfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Overall, the study found drivers across the nation spend nearly 370 hours on the road each year, or more than 15 days, according to the study.

When you factor in the wasted time drivers spend and fuel usage due to traffic congestions, the collective tab comes out to roughly $894 per driver each year, according to the study.

Other key findings the study found include:

  • Irvine, California, has the lowest traffic fatality rate (per 100,000 residents), 11.8 times lower than Memphis, Tennessee, the city with the highest.
  • Fort Wayne, Indiana, has the lowest average gas price, 1.7 times lower than San Francisco, California, the city with the highest.
  • Corpus Christi, Texas, has the lowest average parking rate, 33.4 times lower than San Diego, California, the city with the highest.
  • Lubbock, Texas, has the lowest annual hours spent in congestion per auto commuter, 14 times lower than Chicago, the city with the highest.

You can read more about the WalletHub study here

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