Do you have a teen in your life who is learning how to drive? New York State may be the best place for them to learn, according to a new WalletHub study.
Getting a driver's license is a scary but necessary task for many teenagers in America. While it can offer a sense of freedom and independence, the risks are staggering.
According to WalletHub, motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for teens aged 16 to 19- the same age range with the highest risk of crashes. The financial risks are also worrisome, as motor vehicle accidents involving those aged 13 to 19 result in costs of around $40.7 billion per year for medical expenses, vehicle repairs, and lost work, according to the WalletHub study.
These teen driving accidents can happen
everywhere across the country, but the risks can vary depending on states and the driving laws they have in place, for example.
"The best states for teen drivers promote safety through easy access to driving classes, strict laws for bad behavior on the road and well-maintained roads," WalletHub Analyst Chip Lupo said.
To determine the best and worst states for teen drivers, WalletHub compared all 50 states across 23 metrics ranging from the number of teen driver fatalities to the average cost of car repairs to the presence of impaired-driving laws.
Here is what to know about New York's ranking.
NY is the No. 1 best state for teen drivers
New York ranked as the No. 1 best state for teen drivers, with an overall score of 72.14, according to the WalletHub study.
The Empire State scored the No. 2 spot for the safety rank, No. 17 for the economic environment rank and No. 2 for the driving laws rank.
According to WalletHub, a big reason New York is the best state for teen driving, even with its traffic in large cities, is that it has the fourth-lowest teen driver fatalities per teen population and the third-fewest teen DUIs per teen population, according to the study.
New York also has the most driving schools per capita, the fourth-lowest percentage of drivers who use their phones while driving and the third-lowest prevalence of poor turning.
On top of these statistics, WalletHub stated that the Empire State has almost all of the best driving laws that are recommended by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety.
WalletHub's 10 best states for teen drivers
- New York
- Oregon
- New Jersey
- Indiana
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Maine
WalletHub's 10 worst states for teen drivers
- No. 50: Montana
- No. 49: Missouri
- No. 48: Mississippi
- No. 47: Wyoming
- No. 46: Alabama
- No. 45: Nebraska
- No. 44: Idaho
- No. 43: South Dakota
- No. 42: New Hampshire
- No. 41: North Dakota
How WalletHub assessed best and worst states for teen drivers
To determine which states are the best for teen drivers, WalletHub analyzed all 50 states on their teen driving environment by looking at three dimensions: safety, economic environment and driving laws.
The safety category analyzed these factors:
- Teen driver fatalities per 100,000 teens
- Vehicle miles traveled per capita
- Traffic indiscipline
- Teen "under the influence" traffic violations per 100,000 teens
- Share of teen drinking & driving
- Share of teen texting/ emailing while driving
- Share of teenagers aged 18 to 24 always or nearly always wearing a seatbelt
- Cost of teen crash-related deaths per 100,000 teens
- Quality of roads
- Driving schools per capita
The economic environment category analyzed these factors:
- Maximum cost of speeding ticket
- Maximum cost of red light ticket
- Maximum amount of first offense fines for not wearing seat belt
- Premium increase after adding teen driver to parent's auto insurance policy
- Average cost of car repairs
- Average gas prices
- Punitiveness of insurance companies toward high-risk drivers
The driving laws category analyzed these factors
- Provision of teen drivers graduated driver licensing program laws
- Presence of occupant protection laws
- Presence of impaired driving laws
- Presence of distracted driving/ texting while driving laws
- Presence of red light and speeding camera laws
- Leniency toward DUI violations
Data used to create the ranking was collected as of July 28, 2026, and was sourced from multiple entities, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Transportation- Federal Highway Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York State. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn't helpfamilies with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New York ranked the No. 1 state in America for teen drivers. Here's why
