Georgia is one of the best states to drive in? That’s what a new report says

Georgia is among the best states in the country for drivers. Yes, you read that right. At least according to one new report.

In newly released rankings, personal finance website WalletHub says Georgia is the sixth best state in the nation to drive in, which may have some commuters asking, "how?"

Wallethub looked at factors like average gas prices, road quality and rush-hour traffic congestion when compiling the report.

They also considered factors like auto-maintenance costs and road quality — where Georgia earned top marks, again, which may surprise some Atlantans. But it’s worth remembering that the report looked at conditions statewide, not just in the metro area.

Other reports have said Atlanta has some of the world's worst traffic and is among the "most congested" cities.

Here’s how Georgia ranked on some of the WalletHub metrics (1=best; 25=average):

• No. 30 – Share of Rush-Hour Traffic Congestion

• No. 29 – Car Theft Rate

• No. 19 – Auto-Repair Shops per Capita

• No. 17 – Avg. Gas Prices

• No. 5 – Auto-Maintenance Costs

• No. 2 – Road Quality

• No. 13 – Car Dealerships per Capita

Georgia follows Iowa, Tennessee, North Carolina, Texas and Nebraska, which took home the top five spots for best driving states.

Meanwhile, Colorado, California, Washington, Rhode Island and Hawaii ranked the worst, according to the report.

The author of the report also notes that traffic is more than a nuisance, it also costs Americans a pretty penny every year.

“In fact, congestion cost U.S. drivers $87 billion in 2018, as well as an average of 97 hours of their time,” the report reads.

Explore the full report here.

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