How We Did the Rankings
BEST ROADS
Using the latest data from the Federal Highway Admin-istration, we factored in safety, congestion, and the condition of roads and bridges, ranking each state in each category. The average of the ranks was used to determine the final scores.
DEADLIEST
This is a simple ranking of fatalities per 100 million miles driven. Although Montana appears at No. 3 on the Best Roads list (good infrastructure, little congestion), it tops the Deadliest list in part because of drivers who drink, drive recklessly, or shun seat belts.
Edward A. Sylvestre of Quantitative Insights in Rochester, New York, supervised the calculations in consultation with David T. Hartgen, PhD, of the Reason Foundation, a public-policy think tank. Fran Lostys of Reader’s Digest coordinated the project.
