For many across the country, driving is a necessity in order to complete their day-to-day functions.

Their car takes them to work, to get the groceries, pick up their kids and so on.

With so many people dependent on their cars, it's only natural that drivers experience traffic from time to time.

But traffic can vary from state to state. So which state has the worst traffic level?

A recent article by Wallethub examined the worst states to drive in this year. To compare all 50 states evenly, Wallethub used four dimensions in their evaluation: cost of ownership and maintenance; traffic and infrastructure; safety; and access to vehicles and maintenance. They evaluated those dimensions using 23 relevant metrics; each was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best for drivers.

Whether you're an insured or an insurer, traffic can factor into the insurance equation in a number of ways. Heavy levels of traffic can lead to aggressive driving and accidents. Even low to moderate levels of traffic factor into a car's life longevity and deterioration of roadways, among other aspects.

With this in mind, which states should you avoid at all costs in 2018?

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10. New York

Total score: 49.99

Safety rank: 1

Safety rank: 6

Related: Oh deer! What drivers should know about animal collisions

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8. Rhode Island

Total score: 49.49

Safety rank: 2

Related: 10 states with the worst roads in the U.S.

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7. Massachusetts

Total score: 49.19

Safety rank: 4

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6. Alaska

Total score: 48.69

Safety rank: 17

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5. Connecticut

Total score: 48.67

Safety rank: 3

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4. California

Total score: 48.60

Safety rank: 18

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3. Maryland

Total score: 48.31

Safety rank: 16

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2. Washington

Total score: 44.08

Safety rank: 36

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1. Hawaii

Total score: 31.83

Safety rank: 34

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Denny Jacob

Denny Jacob is an associate editor for NU PropertyCasualty360. Contact him at [email protected].