Time and time again, studies come out that remind us just how awful the driving experience is in Houston. Whether it’s the drivers, congestion, or perilous roads, driving in Texas can be a challenge. Recently, Forbes Advisor conducted a study ranking the worst US cities to drive in out of the 47 most populated cities. Four of those cities, it found, are in Texas.
To determine the worst cities to drive in the US, Forbes Advisor ranked the 47 most populated US cities through 15 metrics and four key categories: driving experience, cost of car ownership, safety, and car maintenance.
The study finds that four of the worst cities to drive in are in Texas, including: Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, and Austin.
According to the study, Houston is the worst Texas city to drive in and the fourth overall worst city to drive in the country. Its poor scores are in part due to its lack of car repair shops.
The study also points out that the city has the 12th overall worst driving experience, with the 11th longest average commute, 11th highest amount of time in traffic (74 hours annually), and 12th lowest average speed in its downtown area.
Dallas also placed in the top 10 worst US cities to drive in, coming in at No 9. Factors leading to its ranking include its high number of fatal car accidents, high annual car insurance premiums, and poor commute times.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, El Paso, Texas ranked as the third best city to drive in the country. This is due to the minimal time spent in traffic and as a result the second lowest amount spent on congestion-caused gas.
The absolute worst city to drive in the country, according to the study, is Oakland, California, due to high gas prices, average commute time, and number of fatal car accidents.