The Fastest Drivers in America By State, Mapped

Some states are built for cruising roads with ease, while others are trickier to traverse. To see how average driving speeds measure up across the country, check out the map below.

1. The Average Speed of Drivers in Each State
2. The Slowest Drivers in America By State

The car insurance pros at MoneySuperMarket used Google Route API data to determine the average long-distance drive times between major cities in each state. The analysts recorded the information at different times and on various days to get an accurate representation of average driving speeds across the U.S. 

The Average Speed of Drivers in Each State

Less populated states were more likely to have higher average speeds for long-distance driving. This could be due to lower traffic levels, which makes it easier to maintain higher speeds for longer periods of time. Averaging about 71.8 mph, long-distance drivers in Wyoming take first place, followed by New Mexico at 71.0 mph and Idaho at 70.5.

MoneySuperMarket also looked at average driving speeds in urban areas. In that category, Alaska’s speed of 30.3 mph is the fastest, likely thanks to its wider roads. Meanwhile, Alabama (30.1 mph) and Nebraska (29.7 mph) aren’t far behind. 

The Slowest Drivers in America By State

Drivers in some states move like molasses compared to those listed above. New Hampshire (49.9 mph), Vermont (52.8 mph), and Maryland (54.7 mph) occupy the bottom three in the ranking of long-distance driving speeds. Low speeds in New Hampshire and Vermont may be due to weather conditions, as the states see a fair amount of snow. Meanwhile, Maryland’s ranking is likely explained by the state’s notoriously bad traffic between Baltimore and Washington, D.C. [PDF].

Traffic seems to come to a screeching halt on the country’s slowest urban streets as well. Drivers in the metro areas of Massachusetts, Maryland, and Michigan typically don’t exceed 25 mph. 

The researchers also looked into which countries have the slowest and fastest drivers around the world. Apparently, American motorists move the quickest down the road, reaching an average long-distance driving speed of 68.1 mph nationwide.

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