2b:["$","$L2c",null,{"category":"$2d","relatedArticles":[{"id":"cG9zdDo1MTI4Mg==","databaseId":51282,"postId":51282,"author":{"node":{"id":"dXNlcjo1Nw==","databaseId":57,"userId":57,"avatar":{"url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a4ba5699dffd6ba2dae17837c96b683a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","size":96,"__typename":"Avatar"},"description":"Derek Miller is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh where he studied economics. He is passionate about using data to help people make better financial decisions. Derek is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®) and a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. He is a data journalist whose expertise is in finding the stories within the numbers. Derek's writing has been featured on Yahoo, AOL and HuffPost. He believes the biggest financial mistake people make is waiting too late to save for retirement and missing out on the wonders of compounding interest. Derek lives in Brooklyn.","additionalMeta":{"expertise":null,"__typename":"User_Additionalmeta"},"email":null,"firstName":"Derek","fullName":"Derek Miller, CEPF®","lastName":"Miller, CEPF®","name":"Derek Miller, CEPF®","postCount":{"pageInfo":{"offsetPagination":{"total":254,"__typename":"OffsetPaginationPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnectionPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnection"},"slug":"dmiller","__typename":"User"},"__typename":"NodeWithAuthorToUserConnectionEdge"},"categories":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"CategoryToCategoryConnection"},"databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":{"pageInfo":{"offsetPagination":{"total":15,"__typename":"OffsetPaginationPageInfo"},"__typename":"CategoryToPostConnectionPageInfo"},"__typename":"CategoryToPostConnection"},"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"}],"__typename":"PostToCategoryConnection"},"content":"$2e","date":"2016-07-27T07:00:25","excerpt":"

\n","featuredImage":{"id":"cG9zdDo1MTI4Mw==","databaseId":51283,"altText":"States With the Worst Drivers","date":"2016-07-20T11:21:57","fileSize":1009069,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","modified":"2016-07-20T11:21:57","sourceUrl":"https://smartasset.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/07/iStock_82078925_MEDIUM.jpg","__typename":"MediaItem"},"modified":{"datetime":"2017-8-23","readable":"August 23, 2017"},"multipleBylinesByRole":{"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"writtenBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null,"hideAuthor":null,"__typename":"Post_Multiplebylinesbyrole"},"adTargetingOverrides":{"fieldGroupName":"adTargetingOverrides","pageGroupNewKey":null,"__typename":"Post_Adtargetingoverrides"},"seo":{"canonical":"https://smartasset.com/auto/states-with-the-worst-drivers","metaDesc":"Not all road accidents are created equally. In order to find out the states with the worst drivers, we looked at incidents which show negligence like DUI...","metaKeywords":"","metaRobotsNofollow":"follow","metaRobotsNoindex":"index","readingTime":5,"title":"States with the Worst Drivers - SmartAsset Blog","__typename":"PostTypeSEO"},"slug":"states-with-the-worst-drivers","status":"publish","title":"States With the Worst Drivers – 2016 Edition","uri":"/auto/states-with-the-worst-drivers","tags":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"PostToTagConnection"},"__typename":"Post","adPageGroupOverride":null,"bylines":{"writtenBy":{"id":"dXNlcjo1Nw==","databaseId":57,"userId":57,"avatar":"$2f","description":"Derek Miller is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh where he studied economics. He is passionate about using data to help people make better financial decisions. Derek is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance® (CEPF®) and a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. He is a data journalist whose expertise is in finding the stories within the numbers. Derek's writing has been featured on Yahoo, AOL and HuffPost. He believes the biggest financial mistake people make is waiting too late to save for retirement and missing out on the wonders of compounding interest. Derek lives in Brooklyn.","additionalMeta":"$30","email":null,"firstName":"Derek","fullName":"Derek Miller, CEPF®","lastName":"Miller, CEPF®","name":"Derek Miller, CEPF®","postCount":"$31","slug":"derek-miller-cepf","__typename":"User"},"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null},"category":{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":"$34","databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":15,"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"},"isModifiedBeforePublished":false,"contentBlocks":["

It is common occurrence on American highways for near-accidents to occur. It is also a common occurrence on American highways for people in near-accidents, to look at the license plate of the near-accident-causer and think to themselves, “Oh, well of course they’re from Massachusetts.” Or some other state. It seems like almost every state has a reputation for having terrible drivers. Thanks to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration we can confirm some of those myths and dispel others.

","

Looking to move? Check out mortgage rates in your new area here.

","

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration around 32,000 people were killed in vehicle-related incidents in 2014. Of course some incidents are genuinely accidents, while some are clearly the fault of one driver, like in the event of drunk driving. But deaths and DUIs are not the only metrics to measure bad driving, people who receive speeding tickets or do not have automobile insurance can also be considered negligent drivers.

","

To find the states with the worst drivers SmartAsset looked at number of drivers, DUI arrests, people killed, google trends in speeding tickets and percentage of people who have auto insurance. To find out how we put all these numbers together to create our index please read the full methodology below.

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Key Findings

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No Massachusetts. Boston drivers usually have a reputation as bad drivers but the numbers we analyzed don’t bear that out. Massachusetts ranks 48 on our list. While we have no data on non-fatal accidents, the fact that they lead the nation in insured rate is a positive sign.

","

Be careful when driving in the southeast. Maybe it’s the heat causing road rage, but four out of the top ten states in our study are located in the southeast.

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1. Florida

","

Florida is often plagued with a reputation for bad drivers. The numbers seem to show that this might, in fact, be true. Floridians google “speeding tickets” and “traffic tickets” more than any other state. They also have the second lowest number of insured drivers in the nation.

","

2. Mississippi

","

Another southern state and another state in which one ought to be extra careful when driving through. Mississippi had the 5th highest deaths resulting from vehicular incidents. One area where Mississippi can improve is in DUIs. Mississippi had the 12th highest rate of DUI arrests per driver in the country. Like Florida relatively few people are insured. They rank 3rd worst in that category with only 77% insured.

","

Buying car insurance? Avoid these 6 mistakes.

","

3. Oklahoma

","

Continuing on the theme of states with low insured driver rates, Oklahoma has the least. Only 74% of drivers in Oklahoma are insured. It does not get much better for the state in the other categories we looked at. They have one of the 15 worst scores in DUIs per thousand drivers (7.74), number of people killed per thousand drivers in vehicular incidents (.21) and rate of googling parking and traffic tickets (52.13).

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4. New Jersey

","

The Garden State has the infamy of being the state with the second most deaths per driver at 0.62. New Jersey drivers are more likely to be insured than some of the other states on our list. New Jersey drivers are insured at a rate of almost 90%, coming in 22nd on our list.

","

5. Delaware

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New Jerseys neighbor and rival for worst drivers in the northeast, Delaware is unfortunately the only state with more deaths per driver than New Jersey. One curious statistic is that while Delaware has the lowest DUI rate per driver, 40% of deaths occurred when the driver was above the legal limit for drinking, which is the 4th highest rate in the country.

","

6. Alabama

","

Another southern state and a similar story to the others with pretty bad scores all around. One bright spot – Alabama has the 4th best score with only 1.42 DUI arrests per thousand drivers. Like Delaware, though, that statistic does not tell the whole story, 33% of deaths in Alabama resulted from a driver being over the legal alcohol limit.

","

7. Vermont

","

Vermont leads the nation in DUIs per driver with 50 per thousand drivers. However, they also have the lowest percentage of deaths resulting from drunk driving, at 20%.

","

8. Tennessee

","

Tennessee is one of the least insured states in the country, with 20% of people not having car insurance. Tennessee also has the 18th highest number of deaths per thousand drivers. One positive is that they are in the better half of the country for DUI per thousand drivers at 5.7.

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9. Texas

","

Tragically for Texas it has the highest percentage of deaths coming from drunk drivers at 40% and yet it is in the better half of states for DUI arrests. Recent news that Uber and Lyft will both be leaving Austin may have an impact. According to MyStatesman, Austin only has permits for 756 legal taxis and is hoping to increase that to 1,161. But for a tech hot-spot with a population of 850,000 even this may not be enough.

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10. Nevada

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Nevada is the 3rd worst state for traffic and speeding tickets (when comparing googling trends) as well as being the 17th worst state for DUIs. The good news is that 88% of Nevada drivers are insured.

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Data and Methodology

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In order to find out which state had the worst drivers SmartAsset collected data across 4 metrics.

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Percentage insured. Data is taken from the Insurance Research Council.

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DUI per thousand drivers. Number of drivers is taken from the Federal Highway Administration. Number of DUIs is taken from the State Justice Department.

","

Deaths per thousand drivers. Data is taken from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, which is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

","

Google trends on driving tickets. This data is the average of the scores each state got in google trends for the 8 phrases: speeding ticket, “speeding ticket,” speeding tickets, “speeding tickets,” traffic ticket, “traffic ticket,” traffic tickets and “traffic tickets.”

","

We then indexed each factor for every state giving equal weighting and then finding the average score per state to create the final index.

","

Questions about our study? Contact us at blog@smartasset.com.

","

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/Ben Harding

"],"experts":null,"link":"/auto/states-with-the-worst-drivers","published":{"datetime":"2016-7-27","readable":"July 27, 2016"},"shareInfo":{"title":"States With the Worst Drivers – 2016 Edition","origin":"/auto/states-with-the-worst-drivers"},"isNewsArticle":false},{"id":"cG9zdDo1NzU5NA==","databaseId":57594,"postId":57594,"author":{"node":{"id":"dXNlcjozNg==","databaseId":36,"userId":36,"avatar":{"url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3fcc8f52927cda0578c60fb1d67604f5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","size":96,"__typename":"Avatar"},"description":"Liz Smith is a graduate of New York University and has been passionate about helping people make better financial decisions since her college days. Liz has been writing for SmartAsset for more than four years. Her areas of expertise include retirement, credit cards and savings. She also focuses on all money issues for millennials. Liz's articles have been featured across the web, including on AOL Finance, Business Insider and WNBC. The biggest personal finance mistake she sees people making: not contributing to retirement early in their careers.","additionalMeta":{"expertise":null,"__typename":"User_Additionalmeta"},"email":null,"firstName":"Elizabeth","fullName":"Liz Smith","lastName":"Smith","name":"Liz Smith","postCount":{"pageInfo":{"offsetPagination":{"total":102,"__typename":"OffsetPaginationPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnectionPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnection"},"slug":"esmith","__typename":"User"},"__typename":"NodeWithAuthorToUserConnectionEdge"},"categories":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"CategoryToCategoryConnection"},"databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":{"pageInfo":{"offsetPagination":{"total":15,"__typename":"OffsetPaginationPageInfo"},"__typename":"CategoryToPostConnectionPageInfo"},"__typename":"CategoryToPostConnection"},"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"}],"__typename":"PostToCategoryConnection"},"content":"$36","date":"2016-12-19T10:00:24","excerpt":"

\n","featuredImage":{"id":"cG9zdDoxNzI3NDU=","databaseId":172745,"altText":"7 Small Ways to Save Big on Gas","date":"2022-11-08T17:44:42","fileSize":39039,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","modified":"2022-11-08T17:44:42","sourceUrl":"https://smartasset.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/gas-1-1.jpg","__typename":"MediaItem"},"modified":{"datetime":"2023-3-21","readable":"March 21, 2023"},"multipleBylinesByRole":{"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"writtenBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null,"hideAuthor":null,"__typename":"Post_Multiplebylinesbyrole"},"adTargetingOverrides":{"fieldGroupName":"adTargetingOverrides","pageGroupNewKey":null,"__typename":"Post_Adtargetingoverrides"},"seo":{"canonical":"https://smartasset.com/auto/small-ways-to-save-big-on-gas","metaDesc":"Driving around to find the cheapest gas in town is one way to cut a big chunk out of your monthly gas bill. Here are seven other ways to save on gas...","metaKeywords":"","metaRobotsNofollow":"follow","metaRobotsNoindex":"index","readingTime":5,"title":"7 Small Ways to Save Big on Gas - SmartAsset","__typename":"PostTypeSEO"},"slug":"small-ways-to-save-big-on-gas","status":"publish","title":"7 Small Ways to Save Big on Gas","uri":"/auto/small-ways-to-save-big-on-gas","tags":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"PostToTagConnection"},"__typename":"Post","adPageGroupOverride":null,"bylines":{"writtenBy":{"id":"dXNlcjozNg==","databaseId":36,"userId":36,"avatar":"$37","description":"Liz Smith is a graduate of New York University and has been passionate about helping people make better financial decisions since her college days. Liz has been writing for SmartAsset for more than four years. Her areas of expertise include retirement, credit cards and savings. She also focuses on all money issues for millennials. Liz's articles have been featured across the web, including on AOL Finance, Business Insider and WNBC. The biggest personal finance mistake she sees people making: not contributing to retirement early in their careers.","additionalMeta":"$38","email":null,"firstName":"Elizabeth","fullName":"Liz Smith","lastName":"Smith","name":"Liz Smith","postCount":"$39","slug":"liz-smith","__typename":"User"},"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null},"category":{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":"$3c","databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":15,"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"},"isModifiedBeforePublished":false,"contentBlocks":["

Gasoline has reached a 14-year high, with the national average for a gallon hitting $4.009, per AAA data. And the pain you’re feeling at the pump is only set to get worse: GasBuddy predicts gas prices will soon hit all-time highs. Increased demand — as people ramp up travel and commutes amid dissipated fears over the pandemic — coupled with supply shortages and fears of increased oil shortages from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have pushed already inflated prices even higher.

","

Of course, driving around to find the cheapest gas in town is one way to cut a big chunk out of your monthly gas bill, as long as you don’t spend your savings in transit. But there are many tips and tricks that can reduce what you pay at the pump. Here are seven strategies that can help you save money on gas and reduce your environmental footprint.

","

Considering finding a financial advisor to help you adjust your budget accordingly during these times of increased cost. Such an expert can give your money strategy a nice little tune up.

","

1. Service Your Vehicle Regularly

","

Properly maintaining your vehicle can improve its fuel economy. You’ll need to replace dirty filters as often as possible and use the right motor oil whenever you top up. Using the wrong oil could waste gas by making your engine work harder. If you aren’t sure which grade of motor oil your car needs, you can check your owner’s manual.

","

It’s also important to keep your tires properly inflated. Tire pressure should always remain at the level recommended by your car’s manufacturer. And you’ll need to make sure your tires are aligned. When it comes to gas mileage, a simple tune-up can go a long way.

","

2. Use A/C Wisely

","

In some cases, you can waste gas by cranking up the A/C. But it all depends on where you’re driving. If you’re driving fast because you’re on the highway, for example, having the windows open can increase drag and reduce fuel economy. So using A/C when you’re speeding down the freeway won’t prevent you from trying to save money on gas.

","

In most cars, the A/C turns on when you try to defrost the windshield. Using a less powerful setting is one way to avoid wasting energy.

","

3. Find Cheap Places to Fuel Up

","

","

Generally to find cheap gas, you’ll need to stay away from wealthier neighborhoods and check out stations in the suburbs if you’re driving through a major city. Apps like GasBuddy, AAA TripTik Mobile and Waze can help you find low gas prices in your area.

","

If you’re trying to spend less money on gas, waiting until your gas tank is empty and filling up a little at a time throughout the week isn’t a good idea. In fact, doing that could damage your car. It’s best to wait until you have a quarter tank of gas and fill it up all the way.

","

Related Article: States With the Worst Drivers

","

4. Earn Rewards for Buying Gas

","

If you drive a lot, it may make sense for you to get a credit card that rewards you with cash back or points for buying gas. Depending on the kind of credit card you qualify for, you could earn gas rewards of up to 5%.

","

5. Travel Lightly

","

Carrying around a heavy load can add unnecessary drag. That’s why it’s a good idea to clean out your trunk and remove anything from your roof that you don’t need. By removing excess weight, you’ll be able to maximize your vehicle’s fuel economy.

","

6. Drive Slower

","

","

Cars often use more gas when drivers speed up. Exceeding your car’s optimal speed can reduce your gas mileage. In many cars, it’s best to drive at around 50 mph if you want to save fuel.

","

When you need to accelerate, it’s best to tap the gas pedal lightly. Speeding up too quickly or hitting the brakes too hard can reduce your miles per gallon.

","

7. Drive More Efficiently

","

In addition to monitoring your speed, you can drive more efficiently by paying attention to details. For example, it’s a good idea to turn off the engine if your car has been idle for a while. Avoiding potholes and sudden stops can also make a difference when you’re trying to save money.

","

Using cruise control while you’re driving long distances may also help you use less gas. If you want to go the extra mile, consider buying a more fuel-efficient car. Spending a bit more on a new ride might make sense if you want better gas mileage.

","

Bottom Line

","

Sometimes you have to get creative when you want to cut costs. By making some adjustments to the way you drive and maintain your car, you can save big bucks on gasoline.

","

And if you can capitalize on the best times to buy gas, you probably should. Usually, it’s best to get gas either early in the morning or late at night.

","

Tips on Saving Money

","$3e","

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/CasarsaGuru, ©iStock.com/Geribody, ©iStock.com/Kesu01

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\n","featuredImage":{"id":"cG9zdDoxNzI3NzU=","databaseId":172775,"altText":"Best Time to Buy a Car","date":"2022-11-08T17:45:20","fileSize":39406,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","modified":"2022-11-08T17:45:20","sourceUrl":"https://smartasset.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/best-car-1.jpg","__typename":"MediaItem"},"modified":{"datetime":"2024-3-14","readable":"March 14, 2024"},"multipleBylinesByRole":{"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"writtenBy":null,"factCheckedBy":{"id":"dXNlcjoxMzY=","databaseId":136,"userId":136,"avatar":{"url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/1d295f71ad5f26fc505155b8d7e5e2a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","size":96,"__typename":"Avatar"},"description":"Jeff is a Writer/Editor for SmartAsset. He's an expert in a variety of personal finance topics, such as investing, banking and retirement. Jeff has received his JD and MBA and has been featured in a number of publications, such as Investopedia, The Street, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance and more. He currently resides in Utah with his wife and five children, where they cheer for the Denver Broncos and make it to the water to sail whenever given the chance. Jeff currently holds the Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®) designation.","additionalMeta":{"expertise":"Financial Planning, Small Business, Retirement, Banking","__typename":"User_Additionalmeta"},"email":null,"firstName":"Jeff","fullName":"Jeff White, CEPF®","lastName":"White, CEPF®","name":"Jeff White, CEPF®","postCount":{"pageInfo":{"offsetPagination":{"total":16,"__typename":"OffsetPaginationPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnectionPageInfo"},"__typename":"UserToPostConnection"},"slug":"jwhite","__typename":"User"},"secondEditor":null,"hideAuthor":null,"__typename":"Post_Multiplebylinesbyrole"},"adTargetingOverrides":{"fieldGroupName":"adTargetingOverrides","pageGroupNewKey":null,"__typename":"Post_Adtargetingoverrides"},"seo":{"canonical":"https://smartasset.com/auto/the-best-time-of-year-to-buy-a-car","metaDesc":"The best time to buy a car depends on whether you want a new car or a used car. Also, there are certain parts of the year when sales typically occur.","metaKeywords":"","metaRobotsNofollow":"follow","metaRobotsNoindex":"index","readingTime":5,"title":"When Should You Buy a Car?","__typename":"PostTypeSEO"},"slug":"the-best-time-of-year-to-buy-a-car","status":"publish","title":"When Should You Buy a Car?","uri":"/auto/the-best-time-of-year-to-buy-a-car","tags":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"PostToTagConnection"},"__typename":"Post","adPageGroupOverride":null,"bylines":{"writtenBy":{"id":"dXNlcjo1Mw==","databaseId":53,"userId":53,"avatar":"$40","description":"Amanda Dixon is a personal finance writer and editor with an expertise in taxes and banking. She studied journalism and sociology at the University of Georgia. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, AOL, Bankrate, The Huffington Post, Fox Business News, Mashable and CBS News. Born and raised in metro Atlanta, Amanda currently lives in Brooklyn.","additionalMeta":"$41","email":null,"firstName":"Amanda","fullName":"Amanda Dixon","lastName":"Dixon","name":"Amanda Dixon","postCount":"$42","slug":"amanda-dixon","__typename":"User"},"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"factCheckedBy":{"id":"dXNlcjoxMzY=","databaseId":136,"userId":136,"avatar":"$45","description":"Jeff is a Writer/Editor for SmartAsset. He's an expert in a variety of personal finance topics, such as investing, banking and retirement. Jeff has received his JD and MBA and has been featured in a number of publications, such as Investopedia, The Street, Forbes, Yahoo! Finance and more. He currently resides in Utah with his wife and five children, where they cheer for the Denver Broncos and make it to the water to sail whenever given the chance. Jeff currently holds the Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®) designation.","additionalMeta":"$46","email":null,"firstName":"Jeff","fullName":"Jeff White, CEPF®","lastName":"White, CEPF®","name":"Jeff White, CEPF®","postCount":"$47","slug":"jeff-white-cepf","__typename":"User"},"secondEditor":null},"category":{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":"$4a","databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":15,"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"},"isModifiedBeforePublished":false,"contentBlocks":["

Timing is everything and when it comes to buying a car, that saying couldn’t be more true. Negotiating and haggling with car salesmen can reduce the price of what you have to pay for a new whip. But if you want to get the best deal on a car, you’ll need to know when to show up at the dealership. Whether you’re buying a used vehicle or a brand-new ride, we’ll tell you the best time of year to buy a car. Being that the purchase of a car is rather pricey, consider meeting with a financial advisor in your area to discuss your finances beforehand.

","

When to Buy a New Car

","

If you’re on a budget, one of the best times to buy a new car is the end of the model season. New car models are often introduced each year between late summer and early fall. While you might miss out on some new features, buying a new car in August or early September may save you some money.

","

Waiting until the end of the year to buy a new car can work in your favor as well. Many car dealers offer year-end sales in an effort to get rid of older vehicles and make room for new inventory. Buying a new car on a holiday like Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve is another way to get a deep discount.

","

If you can’t wait until December to get a new car, you might want to buy a car at the end of the month or the end of a quarter. If a salesperson hasn’t sold very many vehicles in weeks, he or she might be willing to compromise and lower the price of the car you want to buy. Even if a salesman has managed to sell multiple cars throughout the month, he might want to close one last deal to meet a sales goal or score a bonus.

","

Shopping for a car at the end of the day may or may not be effective. If you stop by a dealership an hour before it’s set to close, a salesperson may be open to negotiating so that he or she can end the day on a high note. But if he or she is used to working long hours, your sales associate may not be that flexible.

","

When to Buy a Used Car

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A recent study from iseecars.com ranked the best times to buy a used car. At the top of their list are holidays including Black Friday, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving and Columbus Day. The months of November and December are also considered good times to purchase a used car.

","

According to the study, the months of April, May and June are some of the worst times to buy a used car. Specifically, Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are bad days for used-car buyers. But the No. 1 worst day to purchase a used car is the Fourth of July.

","

When Not to Buy a New Car

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Generally, one of the worst times to buy a new car is in the spring. During this time of year, you’ll see more people on car lots looking to soak up some sun and cash in their tax refunds. Other bad times to shop for new cars are whenever a particular vehicle is popular among consumers and whenever a new car model has been released.

","

Some people seem to think that buying a car on a rainy day is a good idea. But that approach usually doesn’t work. In fact, you can expect car dealerships to be filled with people when there’s bad weather simply because people tend to believe that they’ll find great deals on rainy days.

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Bottom Line

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The best time of year to buy a car ultimately depends on your personal preferences and how much you’re willing to spend on a vehicle. If you’re rolling in dough and you want your car to have top-of-the-line features and amenities, you might want to buy a car as soon as a new model comes out. But if you’re trying to shave hundreds of dollars off your purchase price, experts say that it’s best to head to the dealership at the end of a period in the fall or winter, like the end of the month, quarter or year.

","

Our advice? When it comes to buying cars and getting your way at the dealership, it helps to know what you’re looking for. Doing plenty of research and knowing the make and model that you want your car to have can make it easier to figure out when to purchase your new vehicle.

","

Tips for Taking Care of Your Finances

","$4c","

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/cosmin4000, ©iStock.com/ViewApart, ©iStock.com/kali9

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\n","featuredImage":{"id":"cG9zdDoxOTI0NzU=","databaseId":192475,"altText":"The Best Cities for Electric Cars","date":"2023-03-21T02:15:54","fileSize":117968,"mimeType":"image/jpeg","modified":"2023-03-21T02:15:54","sourceUrl":"https://smartasset.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/04/5342527965_2aa0db067b_z.jpg","__typename":"MediaItem"},"modified":{"datetime":"2023-3-21","readable":"March 21, 2023"},"multipleBylinesByRole":{"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"writtenBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null,"hideAuthor":null,"__typename":"Post_Multiplebylinesbyrole"},"adTargetingOverrides":{"fieldGroupName":"adTargetingOverrides","pageGroupNewKey":null,"__typename":"Post_Adtargetingoverrides"},"seo":{"canonical":"https://smartasset.com/auto/the-best-cities-for-electric-cars","metaDesc":"Using data on gas prices, energy costs and other expenses, we found the best places to own an electric car. Topping the list was Atlanta, Georgia...","metaKeywords":"","metaRobotsNofollow":"follow","metaRobotsNoindex":"index","readingTime":8,"title":"Where Do Electric Cars Make Sense? - SmartAsset","__typename":"PostTypeSEO"},"slug":"the-best-cities-for-electric-cars","status":"publish","title":"The Best Cities for Electric Cars","uri":"/auto/the-best-cities-for-electric-cars","tags":{"nodes":[],"__typename":"PostToTagConnection"},"__typename":"Post","adPageGroupOverride":null,"bylines":{"writtenBy":{"id":"dXNlcjo0OA==","databaseId":48,"userId":48,"avatar":"$4e","description":"Nick Wallace studied Economics at the University of Washington. He enjoys getting people thinking about finances by looking a the numbers. Nick is a freelance journalist and data analyst living in Michigan. He still lends his economic and analytic expertise for SmartAsset's studies.","additionalMeta":"$4f","email":null,"firstName":"Nick","fullName":"Nick Wallace","lastName":"Wallace","name":"Nick Wallace","postCount":"$50","slug":"nick-wallace","__typename":"User"},"editedBy":null,"reviewedBy":null,"factCheckedBy":null,"secondEditor":null},"category":{"id":"dGVybTo4Nw==","children":"$53","databaseId":87,"categoryId":87,"link":"https://smartasset.com/auto/articles","name":"Auto","postCount":15,"slug":"auto","ancestors":null,"parent":null,"__typename":"Category"},"isModifiedBeforePublished":false,"contentBlocks":["

In 2014, total U.S. sales of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) hit 118,000. This was a 27% increase over 2013 and the first time in history that electric vehicle sales have reached six figures. While those numbers seem to promise a bright future for electric cars, another development threatens to knock EVs right off the road: plummeting gasoline prices. With the price of a gallon of regular gasoline at a five-year low, consumers thinking about going electric face a difficult financial choice. EVs may be cool, quiet and clean, but if they can’t compete with traditional vehicles on cost, it will be difficult to claim a significant share of the automobile market.

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Thinking about retirement? Try our free 401(k) calculator.

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To determine where (and if) electric vehicles make financial sense, SmartAsset compared total costs of ownership for three of the most popular EVs—the Tesla Model S, the Ford Focus EV and the Nissan Leaf—to ownership costs of their gasoline-powered equivalents. In our analysis, we considered retail price for a new vehicle (although buying used may be the smarter choice), fuel and energy prices, state and local taxes, state and federal subsidies and average miles driven. (Read more about our methodology below.)

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Key Findings

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29%. That’s the share of the 150 cities in our study in which total cost for electric vehicles is lower than that for gasoline-powered vehicles.
Subsidies are a big deal. Without national and state subsidies for electric vehicle purchases, EVs would lose out to traditional vehicles on cost in every city in the country. The federal tax credit of $7,500 is especially important, but it only applies to people with a large enough tax bill to claim the credit. That means the savings we found may be harder to attain for people with low incomes.
Georgia, California, Colorado. These three states accounted for 10 of the top 15 cities for electric vehicles. Why? Again: it’s all about the subsidies. These states offer strong incentives for electric vehicle purchasers, such as the $5,000 tax credit offered in Georgia.

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$\"Top$

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1. Atlanta, Georgia

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Thanks to the state of Georgia’s generous subsidy program for electric vehicles, which features a tax credit worth 20% of the price of any zero-emission EV (up to $5,000), residents of Atlanta could save an average of $5,273 by buying electric. This makes the ATL the best U.S. city to save money by going electric (in addition to being in the best county in Georgia to save money with a refinance). [Editor’s Note: Since this analysis was done, the Georgia governor has eliminated the subsidy for electric vehicles. It will no longer be available after June 30th.]

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2. Augusta, Georgia

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As in Atlanta, drivers in Augusta who are interested in buying an electric car will benefit greatly from Georgia’s strong incentives for EV purchasers. The main difference between Augusta and Atlanta, when it comes to EVs, is that drivers in Atlanta spend more time (and drive more miles) in their cars. According to the Federal Highway Administration, residents of Augusta drove 10,744 miles per capita in 2012, while Atlantans drove 13,530. That means extra savings for EVs in Atlanta, since electric vehicles generally cost less to operate on a per mile basis.

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3. Seattle, Washington

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Electric car owners in the Puget Sound region benefit from the state of Washington’s cheap, mostly hydroelectric energy, which, at an average of 8.83 cents per kilowatt-hour, is the cheapest in the nation (not to mention the cleanest). Sweetening the deal is the sales tax exemption on EVs for Washington state residents. With a tax rate of 9.5% in the city of Seattle, that adds up to between $2,700 and $6,500 in savings for the three electric cars in our analysis.

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4. Los Angeles, California

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Teslas are becoming increasingly popular in Los Angeles and with good reason. Our analysis found that for the average LA driver, the total cost of a Tesla is about $5,124 less than a comparable BMW. For drivers in a position to take advantage of one of the three “super-charging” stations in the LA area, the difference may be even greater. At these stations, Tesla owners get to charge their vehicles for free, and in a fraction of the time it takes to charge at home. EV drivers also benefit from the State of California’s $2,500 rebate for battery-powered electric vehicle purchases.

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5. San Diego, California

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Among the benefits that California electric car owners receive is eligibility to drive in carpool lanes without any passengers. This is especially helpful in San Diego, which is often rated among the most congested cities in the U.S. Of course, EV owners in the fast lanes should be prepared to suffer the scorn of other drivers who remain stuck in traffic and burning gas.

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6. Naples, Florida

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Unlike drivers in many of the other cities on this list, electric car owners in Naples (which is also one of SmartAsset’s best places for retirement) do not benefit from any state EV incentive programs. What’s driving their high ranking is mileage—Naples drivers put in over 20,000 miles a year, among the highest of any city in our study. Since electric cars cost less to run than traditional automobiles, more miles mean more savings.

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7. Charleston, West Virginia

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West Virginia is coal-country, with coal-fired electric power plants contributing 95% of the state’s energy as of 2013. So, while owning an electric car in Charleston won’t necessarily be any cleaner than a gas car, it will be cheaper. The state average electricity rate is among the lowest in the country, at 9.7 cents per kilowatt-hour.

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8. Denver, Colorado

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According to our analysis, the average EV owner in Denver will save $2,971 over the life of his or her car ownership. The source of those savings? Colorado’s EV tax-credit, which ranged from $5,000 to $6,000 for the three vehicles we considered. Just remember: you can only claim that credit if you have state taxes of that amount or greater. Given that Colorado’s state tax rate is 4.63% of taxable income, that means you’ll need to be earning six-figures to get the full EV tax-credit.

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9. Chicago, Illinois

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While EV owners in Chicago may save money, they may have to sacrifice some convenience to do so—especially in the winter. According to a recent study by AAA, electric vehicle range (i.e. the distance an EV can drive without needing to recharge) falls significantly in cold weather. At 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the average range of the EVs in that study (which included a Ford and a Nissan but not a Tesla) fell by 57%, from 105 miles to 43 miles.

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10. Fort Collins, Colorado

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According to the Federal Highway Administration, the per capita mileage of the Fort Collins area is just 9,006 miles, lower than any other metro area on the list. While that low level of driving means less savings for EV owners, it also means lower costs of vehicle ownership overall, a good tradeoff.

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The Worst Cities for EVs

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While electric cars still can’t beat gas-powered cars for affordability in most U.S. cities, they fall especially short in certain parts of the country. These are the ten worst (most expensive) cities for electric vehicles, with the average added cost of going electric in parenthesis: Honolulu, Hawaii ($4,005); Topeka, Kansas ($3,065); Greenville, South Carolina ($2,994); Lubbock, Texas ($2,988); Sioux Falls, South Dakota ($2,869); Santa Fe, New Mexico ($2,820); Madison, Wisconsin ($2,820); Lansing, Michigan ($2,765); Grand Rapids, Michigan ($2,761); Kalamazoo, Michigan ($2,737).

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Data & Methodology

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To determine where electric vehicles make the most financial sense, SmartAsset calculated total costs of ownership for three electric vehicles and three gasoline-powered comparables. Specifically, we compared the Ford Focus EV with the Ford Focus, the Nissan Leaf with the Nissan Sentra and the Tesla Model S with the BMW 535i xDrive. For the Nissan and the Tesla, we chose the comparable based on vehicle specs including horsepower, size and interior features.

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For each of those six cars, we calculated the total costs of ownership as follows (we assumed car-buyers could claim the full amount of any tax credits).

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EV Purchase Cost = MSRP + (MSRP x state and local tax rate) – ($7,500 federal subsidy) – (applicable state subsidies)

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Traditional Vehicle Purchase Costs = MSRP + (MSRP x state and local tax rate)

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EV Annual Energy Cost = (metro area average miles per driver) x (state average energy rate, in dollars per kWh) x (vehicle energy efficiency, in kWh per mile)

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Traditional Vehicle Annual Fuel Cost = (metro area average miles per driver) x (vehicle fuel efficiency, in gallons per mile) x (average local gas prices over past year, in dollars per gallon)

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With those formulas, we calculated the purchase cost and the value of annual costs over six years. Six years is the average length of vehicle ownership in the U.S., according to the industry research group IHS. We combined those two costs to produce the total cost of ownership for each vehicle.

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We then calculated the cost-differential between each electric vehicle and its gas-powered equivalent, in each of the 150 cities in our study. So for example, we found that, in San Francisco the expected cost of ownership for a Ford Focus EV is $24,957, while the cost of owning a gas-powered Ford Focus is $26,329. That adds up to a cost-differential of $1,372.

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As a final step, we averaged the three separate cost-differential numbers for each city. The top cities in our study are the cities that had the highest average savings for the three electric vehicles.

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The data used in our study comes from the U.S. Census Bureau, GasBuddy.com, the Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Energy Information Administration and fueleconomy.gov.

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Question about our study? Contact us at blog [at] smartasset.com.

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Photo credit: Ford Motors

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