The Midwest's Breathtaking 'Land Of 10,000 Lakes' Is A Driver's Scenic Dream With America's Safest Roads

Minnesota has some of the safest roads in the United States. John Foy & Associates awarded Minnesota 80 points, the highest road safety score in the U.S. The study analyzed the roads of all 50 states according to five criteria: road fatalities per every 100 driven miles, rural road conditions, urban road conditions, highway spending per mile, and highway spending per capita, using data from the Federal Highway Administration.

Minnesota scored excellently in all categories. The state has the third-lowest road fatality rate in the country, with 0.77 deaths per 100 million miles driven. For context, New Mexico, which scored the lowest in the study, has 1.74 deaths per 100 million miles driven — the nation's third-highest fatality rate behind Mississippi (1.76) and South Carolina (1.85). In the rural rough road and urban rough road criteria, Minnesota scored 2.82% and 3.42%, respectively. The rural rough road percentage, though impressive, was just shy of the best five states. However, Minnesota topped the urban rough road category, proving its city asphalt to be the smoothest in the country.

Minnesota's performance is all the more impressive when you review its budget. State authorities spend just $38,610 per mile of road — among the lowest in the country. This displays a remarkable level of efficiency compared to California, which has America's fourth worst road network despite spending $127,080 per mile. Minnesota's excellent roads make the state a perfect travel destination, as you can see all its lakes without worrying about rough roads or a heightened risk for accidents.

Minnesota's smooth road network has 22 Scenic Byways running for 2,948 miles through a landscape of waterfalls, woods, prairies, plains, and many, many lakes. The state is commonly known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," but Minnesota actually has 11,842 lakes that are 10 acres or larger. The biggest of these lakes is Lake Superior, the king of the Great Lakes. Many people have enjoyed Superior on a scenic road trip through Michigan, but those in Minnesota can follow its banks en route to a waterfall paradise with unmatched hikes. 

Lake Superior should feature in any Minnesota road trip, but make sure you visit the smaller lakes, too. Paul Bunyan Scenic Byway takes drivers around the Whitefish Chain of Lakes in central Minnesota. It is a popular route with plenty to see and do, including golf courses, restaurants, lodges, villas, and every water sport imaginable across 14 interconnecting lakes.

Another option is the Lake Country Scenic Byway, an 88-mile route in the north of the state connecting Walker, Park Rapids, and Detroit Lakes. Beyond the lakes' beauty are many hike paths, biking trails, and outstanding bird-watching opportunities at Itasca State Park and Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. Just make sure to dress properly for your road trip and enjoy the ride!