A new study released by "TRIP", a national transportation research organization finds that driving on Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo roads is costing the average driver $1,419 annually.
The report shows that driving on Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo area roads costs the average driver $1,419 annually in extra vehicle operating costs as a result of driving on roads in need of repair, lost time and fuel due to congestion-related delays, and the costs of traffic crashes in which roadway features likely were a contributing factor.
The TRIP report finds that 58 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads in these areas are in poor or mediocre condition, costing the average motorist an additional $655 each year in extra vehicle operating costs. These costs include accelerated vehicle depreciation, additional repair costs, and increased fuel consumption and tire wear.
The study also shows traffic congestion in these areas is worsening, causing 16 annual hours of delay for the average motorist and costing the average driver $368 each year in lost time and wasted fuel.
And lastly the report states that on average, 63 people were killed in traffic crashes each year from 2014 to 2016 in the Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo areas. The financial impact of traffic crashes costs each driver an average of $395 annually.
TRIP has the full report on this website which evaluates the transportation system statewide and in California’s largest urban cities.
