Does New Jersey Rank among Worst Driving Experiences in the US?

Everyone seemingly complains about drivers from other states, but what if New Jersey residents have a built-in excuse for their driving behavior?

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the FBI, the Census Bureau, and other sources gathered by MoneyGeek, they created a ranking system that grades every state's driving experience. The rankings are based on transportation costs, state road infrastructure, traffic patterns, and weather impact on travel in each state.

The overall rankings land New Jersey as the worst Driving Experience in the United States, thanks partly to the second-worst Road Quality and the Worst Traffic Congestion.  Considering how much money the state has invested into highways such as the Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway, and the Route 52 Causeway, it's wild to see New Jersey Infrastructure ranked so low on the list, right ahead of Rhode Island and behind West Virginia. According to the data gathered, only 55% of New Jersey roads are considered "in acceptable condition".

New Jersey is also ranked the 12th worst state in the Cost of Driving with high rates for Auto Insurance compared to the National Average but Gas Prices are almost the same as the National Average at gas stations.  On the flip side, the rankings have New Jersey rated as one of the five best states for Driving Safety and the Ninth best state for Weather Conditions for Driving. So it is not all bad news in the ratings for the Garden State.

New Jersey has a neighbor that also lands on the list of worst states to drive in, with Delaware rated as the second most expensive state to drive in and the eighth worst Traffic congestion. So at least New Jersey doesn't stand alone among the Tri-State regional states in the Mid-Atlantic, and considering the poor ratings, maybe Jersey Drivers have a built-in excuse for how they drive.