Driving throughout the Valley is costly. A recent study by Bankrate.com said that Arizona is the sixth most expensive state for car owners, and car insurance, or lack thereof, can lead to high rates.
It costs almost $4000 a year to own a car in Arizona, and almost a quarter of that goes to insurance. AAA Arizona spokeswoman Michelle Donati said that uninsured drivers are the problem.
"So nationwide, it's estimated that one in seven motorists are uninsured, but in Arizona unfortunately that number is a little bit higher. It's actually one in five, or about 20 percent of motorists are estimated to be uninsured," Donati said.
Donati said that underinsured drivers make plans costly too. Low coverage may not cover all of the repairs, but drivers may be able to reduce how much they pay to own a car. Donati said that safe driving and a good credit score may lead to a discount from an insurance agent.
Annual costs of car ownership in Arizona (estimated)
Repairs: $362
Taxes and fees: $1724
Gasoline: $937
Insurance: $862
Total: $3886
Source: Bankrate.com