Indiana Named One of America’s Best States for Teen Drivers

Indiana Ranks No. 4 for Teen Drivers

Attention, Indiana parents handing over car keys for the first time: you can breathe a little easier. According to a new WalletHub report, Indiana just landed the #4 spot in the nation for teen drivers. That's not just "pretty good" — that's practically an A+ report card for the Hoosier State when it comes to keeping new drivers safe, saving families money, and setting teens up for success behind the wheel.

Indiana Gets Top Marks for Driving Laws

Indiana ties for 1st place in two huge categories: having strong distracted-driving and texting-while-driving laws, and offering a top-tier Graduated Driver's Licensing (GDL) program. That second one matters more than people realize – GDL programs ease teens into driving with supervised practice before they're fully on their own, and Indiana's approach is officially one of the best in the country.

Indiana Scores Well on Roads and Repair Costs

Indiana also ranks a strong 7th for occupant-protection laws (think seatbelt requirements) and 7th for average cost of car repairs, meaning that inevitable fender-bender won't wreck the family budget. Add in 6th-best road quality, and new drivers are literally getting a smoother ride to build their skills on.

Where Indiana Still Has Room to Improve

No state is perfect, and Indiana has a couple of areas to watch: it ranks 23rd for impaired-driving laws and 27th for how much insurance premiums jump after adding a teen to the policy. Teen DUI rates land at a respectable 14th nationally.

Still, when you average it all out, Indiana comes out swinging as a genuine top-five destination for new drivers. So if you've got a teenager counting down the days to their license, take heart — the roads, the laws, and the safety net around them are some of the best in America.

Check out the full WalletHub report to see all of the data.