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The 5 Easiest States for Drivers to Navigate

Thousands of travelers rated the best states for stress-free driving—see which made the top five.
ByCaLea Johnson|
Hawaii is one of the easiest states to navigate, according to this study.
Hawaii is one of the easiest states to navigate, according to this study. | Nico De Pasquale Photography/GettyImages

Whether you‘re on a road trip, heading to work, or just enjoying a leisurely drive, the route you take can make all the difference—and when you’re trying to get somewhere, there’s nothing more frustrating than getting lost on confusing roads in unfamiliar territory. To help travelers out, the car rental site DiscoverCars.com put together a list of the U.S. states where driving is a breeze.

The team created the list by surveying 5919 of their customers. Participants were instructed to rate their road navigation experiences in the states they traveled to on a scale of one to 10, with 10 showing the best conditions.

Here are the top five states where it’s easiest to drive:

  1. Hawaii
  2. Arizona
  3. California
  4. Nevada
  5. Florida

Hawaii is the easiest state to drive in, earning a score of 9.4. This might be because the Aloha State has some of the lowest maximum speed limits: They never exceed 50 miles per hour on rural freeways and 60 miles per hour on urban ones. 

Next comes Arizona (9.1 out of 10). Drivers in this state might be more inclined to behave because of its strict DUI laws. Those caught drunk driving can expect to get an in-vehicle breathalyzer, pay thousands in fines, and receive jail time. Additionally, Phoenix’s grid layout likely helps drivers navigate streets easily. 

California received an 8.89, ranking it third on the list. According to Visit California, the Golden State boasts over 50,000 miles of highways and freeways, making it easy to get from point A to B (at least when you don’t consider traffic). California’s roads might be easy to navigate according to the people who took this study, but residents could improve their driving skills: In 2023, a report showed that the state has some of the worst drivers in the country.

Nevada (8.82) is home to an above-average highway system, per Reason Foundation. It has the country’s best pavement conditions of rural arterials, or two-to-four-lane roads that connect cities and regions. Nevada‘s rural interstates—four-to-six-lane roadways that connect isolated areas to urbanized spaces—boast the second-best pavement conditions in the U.S.

Finally, Florida (8.67) rounds out the top five states. In 2023, a study by Money Geek showed that 71 percent of the Sunshine State’s roads are in good condition.

If you’d like to know about unique driving rules around the world, check out this map.

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