If you like the freedom of the open road, there are some states where you might want to take a defensive driving course first. In its assessment of the most dangerous states to drive in (New Mexico took that top "honor"), YourMechanic looked at a variety of factors, including average driver speeds and speed limits, road and bridge quality, and congestion levels. Also among the studied factors: the average skill level of drivers, which the site figured out using data on driver fatality rates in general, as well as more specific death rates, such as fatalities caused by high speeds and drunk driving. The upshot: You might want to be extra-careful on the mean streets of Montana. Here, the 10 states with the least-skilled drivers:
- Montana
- Louisiana
- Arizona
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Nevada
- Delaware
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Alabama
Check out YourMechanic to see which states have the most-aggressive drivers, the worst roads, and more. (The
best and worst cities to drive in.)