New data paints a grim picture of Hawaiʻi road safety

HONOLULU (KHON2) -- Hawaiʻi is known for its beautiful beaches and stunning landscapes, but we're also known for having the most dangerous roads in the United States.

A new study by tire experts at Tires Easy has revealed that Hawaiʻi has the worst road conditions in the country. This means that it's imperative that all drivers be keen on ensuring their vehicle's tires are high-quality tires in order to promote safer driving.

According to the new study, in Hawaiʻi, out of 1,550 miles of roads, almost 600 miles are considered to be in unacceptable condition.

This means that nearly 39% of the roads in Hawaiʻi are in poor shape, which is more than double the national average of 17.1%.

Gary Davis from Tires Easy explained why some states have worse roads than others.

"Potholes are a big reason for bad roads," he said. In colder states like Rhode Island and Connecticut, the cold and snowy winters make the roads worse. But in Hawaiʻi, the poor road conditions are likely due to high rainfall, volcanic soil and heavy tourism traffic.

Tires are the contact points between a vehicle and the road, making their quality and condition crucial for safety. This is especially important in states with bad roads.

Drivers in these states should take extra care of their vehicles and ensure their tires are in good condition.

In addition to Hawaiʻi, the study highlighted other states with high percentages of unacceptable roads:

1. Hawaiʻi: ~39% of roads are unacceptable.
2. Rhode Island: 37.2% of roads are unacceptable.
3. New Mexico: 33.2% of roads are unacceptable.
4. Connecticut: 33.15% of roads are unacceptable.
5. Mississippi: 30% of roads are unacceptable.
6. Maryland: 29.7% of roads are unacceptable.
7. Louisiana: 28.5% of roads are unacceptable.
8. Washington: 28.1% of roads are unacceptable.
9. Pennsylvania: 26.2% of roads are unacceptable.
10. Massachusetts: 26.1% of roads are unacceptable.

The bad road conditions in these states mean that drivers need to be extra careful and make sure their vehicles are well-maintained, especially their tires.

Hawaiʻi has the worst road conditions in the US, making it crucial for drivers to have high-quality tires.

With a high percentage of roads in unacceptable condition, motorists in Hawaiʻi and other states with bad roads need to be vigilant about vehicle maintenance to ensure safety on the roads.

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KHON2.com reached out the Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation to talk about this study. We are waiting on their response.