Washington Drivers Rank 5th Worst Nationally for Auto Incidents

A recent analysis by LendingTree has ranked Washington state drivers as the 5th worst in the U.S. for driving incidents, with 44.9 incidents per 1,000 drivers. The report evaluates incidents including accidents, DUI offenses, speeding violations, and other citations. Washington's high accident rate of 24.8 per 1,000 drivers, placing it sixth nationally, largely contributes to this ranking. Neighboring states Idaho and California also have high incident rates, with Idaho ranking 7th worst and California 9th worst overall. California, however, exhibits higher rates of accidents and DUI incidents compared to Washington. Insurance experts advise Washington drivers to ensure adequate coverage, particularly emphasizing the importance of uninsured motorist coverage, which offers protection against damages caused by uninsured drivers. The findings highlight concerns for insurance providers and regulators regarding risk assessment and coverage adequacy in high-incident states.