Best North Dakota Car Insurance (2024)

Before you can drive your vehicle through North Dakota’s scenic landscapes, you’ll need to make sure your car is properly insured. If you’re new to North Dakota or are thinking of switching providers, you know that researching a car insurance provider is hard.

After all, how do you know that a provider has the best rates and coverages for your needs?

To help you through the process of picking the perfect insurer in North Dakota, we are going to cover rates and coverages. We are also going to cover North Dakota’s driving laws, traffic, and more.

So keep reading to learn about car insurance in North Dakota. If you want to search for the best online discounts by company, read our comprehensive reviews on top insurance companies.

North Dakota Car Insurance Coverage & Rates

How do you know you are getting the best coverages for the best price? Unless you’re an insurance expert, it can be hard to cut through insurers’ promises and fine print to see if you’re actually getting the best bargain.

Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you.

In this section, we will cover what types of car insurance coverage North Dakota requires, as well as what the rates in North Dakota are. This way, you can compare rates and make sure you have the proper coverages.

Let’s dive right in.

North Dakota Minimum Coverage

To legally drive in North Dakota, you need to have North Dakota’s minimum car insurance amounts. While you can purchase more than the minimum coverages, which we highly recommend, the law requires you to have the following amounts of minimum liability coverage:

• $25,000 for the bodily injury or death of one person
• $50,000 for the bodily injury or death of two or more people
• $25,000 for property damages

In addition to these liability amounts, drivers in North Dakota must also have uninsured motorist coverage and Personal Injury Protection (PIP) in the following amounts:

• PIP Amount: $30,000 per person
• Uninsured Amounts: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

Drivers must have these additional coverages because North Dakota is a no-fault state. Regardless of who caused the accident, drivers’ personal insurers will cover the accident costs.

So even if you didn’t cause the accident, you’ll have to file a claim with your insurer to receive benefits. Because of this, it pays to have more than the minimum amounts of insurance in case of an accident.

Forms of Financial Responsibility

Because car insurance is a legal requirement, you’ll have to provide proof of insurance when you register a car, when you are pulled over at a traffic stop, and when you are in an accident.

If you don’t provide proof of insurance, you could be slapped with fines and license suspension unless you can prove you have insurance within a certain time period.

Below are the acceptable forms of financial responsibility in North Dakota.

• Valid insurance ID Card
• Copy of your current insurance policy
• A certificate of self-insurance

North Dakota also allows drivers to provide electronic proof of insurance. If you have your insurer’s mobile app, you can download an electronic copy of your insurance ID card.

Of course, it’s still wise to carry a paper version, just in case your smartphone doesn’t cooperate at a traffic stop or is ruined in an accident.

Premiums as a Percentage of Income

Since incomes and rates can vary from state to state, the percentage of income you pay toward car insurance may change when you move to a new state.

We want to see what the average North Dakota resident spends on car insurance, so let’s take a look at average car insurance premiums and incomes in North Dakota.

Disposable income is simply what income is left after taxes. In North Dakota, the disposable income is about $10,000 more than the countrywide average.

This is great, especially because the average cost of car insurance is also lower than the countrywide average.

In 2014, the countrywide cost of car insurance was $981, which is $208 more than North Dakota’s 2014 average.

Because North Dakota has lower rates and higher incomes, the percentage of income going to car insurance is very low. In fact, in 2014, North Dakota had the lowest percentage of income going to car insurance in the U.S.

This is fantastic and means that if you drive in North Dakota, you’ll get some of the lowest rates in the country. If you want to calculate your percentage of income going toward car insurance, you can use our free calculator below.

CalculatorPro

Average Monthly Car Insurance Rates in ND (Liability, Collision, Comprehensive)

Let’s dig a little deeper into North Dakota’s average rates by looking at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ (NAIC) information on the average rates for core coverages.

Please note that the NAIC’s data is based on the state minimum, so rates may be higher if you require more coverage or are a high-risk driver.

North Dakota’s average for 2015 was $236 cheaper than the countrywide average. While North Dakota’s comprehensive car insurance coverage does cost more, the rates for the other coverages were significantly cheaper.

Additional Liability

Earlier, we mentioned that North Dakota drivers must have uninsured and PIP coverage. Why do drivers need these coverages?

• Uninsured/underinsured coverage: Protects you if you’re in an accident with another driver who has little or no insurance.
• Personal Injury Protection: Covers your medical expenses after an accident.

We want to take a look at these additional coverages’ loss ratios, as well as the loss ratio for Medpay. Why do we care about loss ratios?

• High Loss Ratio: A company with a high loss ratio (over 100 percent) is paying out too many claims. Companies that do this risk going bankrupt.
• Low Loss Ratio: A company with a low loss ratio is paying out too few claims. Companies that do this risk losing customers because of multiple denied claims.

So let’s see how well North Dakota’s additional liability coverages are doing at paying out claims.

All the additional coverages have loss ratios that are less than 100 percent, which is good. While PIP and uninsured coverages’ loss ratios have fallen from 2013, the loss ratios are still fairly high.

You’ve probably noticed that Medpay has had a zero loss ratio. This is because the NAIC seems to have not recorded premiums and loss ratios for North Dakota.

Since drivers must have PIP, which is similar to Medpay, it could also be that drivers simply elect to not have Medpay (hence no data recorded). Find out the best Medical Payments (MedPay) car insurance companies.

Add-Ons, Endorsements, & Riders

If you want to add more to your protection plan, the following add-ons are perfect to round out your policy.

• Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP)
• Personal Umbrella Policy (PUP)
• Rental Reimbursement
• Emergency Roadside Assistance
• Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
• Non-Owner Car Insurance
• Modified Car Insurance Coverage
• Classic Car Insurance
• Usage-Based Car Insurance

These add-ons are great for providing extra coverages and services, such as classic car insurance or roadside assistance.

Average Monthly Car Insurance Rates by Age & Gender in ND

While some states have banned insurers from using gender as a rate determiner, North Dakota still allows insurers to base rates on drivers’ gender.

As of 2019, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Montana, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and parts of Mississippi have banned insurers from using gender to determine rates.

Because North Dakota insurance companies are allowed to use gender as a rating factor, we want to see the rate variations between genders (as well as age).

The following data (both gender data and other rate changes that we’ll cover shortly) is from our partnership with Quadrant.

Quadrant’s data is based on the coverages people actually purchase and includes rates for high-risk drivers, drivers who purchase more than the state minimum, and drivers who purchase additional coverages.

For the most part, males seem to pay more than females for car insurance. However, a few companies charge the same or similar rates for both genders in North Dakota.

For example, both genders in the categories of 35-year-old and 60-year-old drivers receive the same rates from American Family Mutual. Let’s take a look at the ranking of which gender and ages pay the worst and best auto insurance in North Dakota.

A teenage male will pay almost $30,000 more than a married, 60-year-old male. This enormous price increase for teenagers buying their insurance is why many parents put teenagers on the parents’ policy. Find out the best auto insurance for young adults.

The older drivers become though, the less they’ll pay for car insurance. Marriage can also lower car insurance costs because there are two people responsible for paying monthly premiums, which means they are more likely to stay on top of their car insurance.

Cheapest Rates by Zip Code

Insurers look at the area customers live in to formulate rates. Areas with high crash records, high crime, or a high chance of natural disasters will have higher insurance rates.

The table below shows the average cost of car insurance by zip code, as well as providers’ rates.

Between the most and the least expensive zip codes, there is an $800 difference. This isn’t terrible, — in some states, an area change can result in an increase of a few thousand dollars.

Shopping around for providers can lower rates, as well. While the average at zip code 58538 is $4,477, Geico only charges an average of $2,693 in that area. Read more about Geico in our Geico insurance review & complaints.

Make sure to check rates in your area, as switching providers could save money.

Cheapest Rates by City

Let’s look a little closer at area rates by seeing which cities have the most and least expensive rates in North Dakota.

West Fargo is the cheapest city in North Dakota, costing $768 less than car insurance in Fort Yates (the most expensive city). This price difference is low compared to other states, as a move from West Fargo to Fort Yates would only cost $64 a month.

West Fargo is actually one of the largest cities in North Dakota, while Fort Yates isn’t anywhere near the top 10 largest cities in North Dakota.

Best Car Insurance Companies in North Dakota

Finding an insurance company that you like is hard. Companies have to be economical, provide great coverage, and have great customer service to make most customers happy.

To help you find a company that fulfills your requirements, we are going to go through everything from financial ratings to what companies charge.

Let’s get started.

The Largest Companies’ Financial Ratings

Financial ratings give insight into a companies’ future. If a company has a poor financial rating, there’s a risk you’ll be stuck finding a new insurer after the company goes under or you’ll be refused claims (because the company can’t afford it).

So let’s take a look at AM Best ratings for the largest insurance companies in North Dakota.

Read more: Grinnell Mutual Insurance Review & Complaints: Auto, Home, Business & Farm Insurance 

An A++ rating is the highest available, and it means that a company “has a superior ability to meet their ongoing financial obligations.”

This means that a company is highly capable of repaying debts (such as claims). While only Geico earned an A++ rating, all of the companies have As, which is great.

Bottom line? None of the companies have poor financial ratings, which means they can fulfill their financial debts.

Companies with the Best Ratings

Another rating we want to look at is J.D. Power’s 2019 customer satisfaction study for companies in the North Dakota region.

Shelter and Auto-Owners insurance earned the best ratings, placing them as “among the best.” Nationwide scored the lowest, earning only 807 points out of 1,000.

We want to point out that while USAA had the highest score, it was not placed with the other insurers because it is only for military members. Read USAA insurance review & complaints to learn more.

Companies with Most Complaints in North Dakota

Now that we’ve looked at customer satisfaction ratings, let’s see how many unhappy customers submit complaints.

Just because a company has a high number of complaints, it doesn’t mean it will have a high complaint ratio. While State Farm had over a thousand complaints in 2017, it’s complaint ratio was low because it has a high number of customers.

On the other hand, QBE Insurance had only four complaints but the highest complaint ratio. This is because the company is significantly smaller than State Farm, so four complaints carry more weight.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in North Dakota

Price is a big selling point, which is why we want to look at what the cheapest companies are in North Dakota.

Safeco is the most expensive insurer in the list, costing over 60 percent more than the state average. On the other end of the scale is USAA, costing over 100 percent less than North Dakota’s average.

The good news is that besides Safeco and Allstate, all the insurers’ prices are below the state average.

Commute Rates by Companies

If you have to drive a long distance each day to get to work, some insurers may charge you extra. Below are the rate changes based on commute distances.

The following companies don’t charge for a longer commute: Farmers, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, and Progressive. Out of the companies that do charge for a longer commute, Allstate has the biggest price increase ($229).

However, some of the other companies’ price increases are under $100, such as USAA and Geico.

Coverage Level Rates by Companies

Some companies’ prices for high coverage are astronomical, forcing customers to go with either low/medium coverage or pick another provider.

However, some companies can have affordable high coverage. To see which providers fall under this category, check out the list of price increases for coverage levels below.

A majority of the companies on this list have incredibly economical price increases. The most expensive upgrades are at American Family and Liberty Mutual.

For most of the providers, though, upgrading from low to high coverage costs under $300. For example, upgrading from low to high coverage at Geico only costs about $100.

This is incredible, as in other states the upgrade from low to high coverage can cost about $1,000. Because high coverage in North Dakota is economical, make sure to upgrade to get the best protection possible.

Credit History Rates by Companies

Credit score matters to insurers. Companies view drivers with good credit scores as more reliable in making payments, which is important. If drivers don’t keep up with their insurance and let it lapse, they become high-risk drivers.

The average credit score in North Dakota is 697, which is higher than the U.S. average of 675.

North Dakota is among the top 10 states with the highest credit scores, so the average resident in North Dakota should have good rates based on credit score.

If drivers have poor or fair credit, though, insurers will charge more. Below are insurers’ rate changes for credit score.

If you have poor credit, the choice of insurer becomes even more important. At Liberty Mutual, a drop from good to poor credit will cost drivers $10,000.

At other companies, though, you can keep the costs around or below $1,000 (such as Farmers or Geico). Shopping around for car insurers can save a lot of money.

Driving Record Rates by Companies

DUIs, speeding tickets, and accidents all go on a driver’s record. Insurers use a driver’s record to calculate how risky a driver is to insure, so rates will increase as driving records get worse.

DUIs tend to raise rates the most, followed by accidents. This is because driving drunk is a choice, but accidents are not intentional.

If you do have a poor driving record, make sure to shop around at insurers. Read: Bad driving record car insurance.

For example, an accident at State Farm will only raise rates $378, but an accident at American Family will raise rates $1,189. By shopping around based on your driving record, you can end up saving a significant amount.

Largest Car Insurance Companies in North Dakota

Now that we’ve covered companies’ rates, let’s take a look at the largest insurers are in North Dakota.

These insurers dominate the market in North Dakota, with the lowest market share still being 3 percent. All the companies’ loss ratios look good, with only Nodak and American Family’s loss ratios being a bit on the lower side.

Number of Insurers in North Dakota

There are more insurers than just the top 10 largest in North Dakota. A majority of insurers in North Dakota are foreign, with only 12 domestic companies.

A domestic insurer is simply an in-state company, while a foreign insurer is out-of-state. With so many options available, it’s important to make a careful decision on who you trust to insure your car.

North Dakota State Laws

While we know that it’s important to follow the law, it can be hard to follow the multiple (and often confusing) laws in a new state. Since every state is different in how it addresses car insurance laws and road laws, it can be easy to wind up with a ticket in a new state.

To help you avoid breaking the law in North Dakota, we are going to cover North Dakota’s must-know laws. Keep reading to learn about everything from car insurance laws to vehicle licensing laws.

Car Insurance Laws

Since car insurance is a requirement in North Dakota, we want to help make sure you’re aware of how the law works. In this section, we will cover everything from how laws are determined to low-cost insurance.

Let’s begin.

How State Laws for Insurance are Determined

According to the NAIC, insurers in North Dakota must get prior approval before filing rates. Additionally, “a Use & File filing for which the average rate is less than +/- 5% is allowed once per calendar year; all other rate filings are prior approval.”

In other words, insurers may lower or raise rates within a 5-percent range once a year, but they must get approval for all other rate filings. This is to make sure that insurers aren’t drastically changing rates in North Dakota.

Windshield Coverage

In North Dakota, the law does not require insurers to replace broken or cracked windshields.

If insurers do replace your windshield, they are allowed to use aftermarket parts as long as they are comparable in quality to the original manufactured parts.

Under comprehensive car insurance coverage, most insurers will cover windshield repairs and replacement. Since driving with a crack that obscures your view of the road is illegal, comprehensive coverage is generally a good investment.

High-Risk Insurance

If you’ve had numerous traffic violations, accidents, or a DUI, insurers will consider you a high-risk driver and raise rates. Insurers may even refuse to insure drivers with noticeably bad driving records.

For drivers that can’t find an insurer willing to insure them, there is the North Dakota Automobile Insurance Plan (NDAIP). All high-risk drivers can receive insurance through this plan.

To qualify for the plan, you need to be able to meet the following requirements:

• North Dakota resident
• Your vehicle must be registered in North Dakota
• Valid and current North Dakota driver’s license
• No unpaid automobile insurance premiums in the last 12 months

Ultimately, this plan should be a last resort. Insurance costs through the NDAIP are much higher, so you should shop around to see if you can find an insurer to cover you before you turn to the NDAIP. Find out the best car insurance companies for high-risk drivers.

Low-Cost Insurance

Unfortunately, North Dakota doesn’t have a government-sponsored program for low-income families.

Only three states, California, Hawaii, and New Jersey, have low-income car insurance programs.

However, you can still save on car insurance by shopping around at providers and taking advantage of discounts. See car insurance discounts to learn more.

Automobile Fraud in North Dakota

North Dakota has classified insurance fraud as a crime, which means insurance fraud will result in penalties like fines or jail time. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), over $30 billion is stolen each year due to fraudulent claims

The main ways customers commit fraud are below.

• Faking an accident
• Submitting a claim for damages or injuries that never happened
• Adding fake costs onto a legitimate claim

North Dakota has a fraud bureau to catch insurance fraud. Insurers may also be charged with fraud if they cheat customers out of claims and benefits.

If you believe someone committed fraud, you can submit a report to the North Dakota Insurance Department by filling out an online report form.

Statute of Limitations

After an accident, drivers only have a certain period of time to file a claim with their insurer. This is because details of an accident can become less clear over time, as well as increasing the difficulty of finding witnesses.

Below are the statute of limitations in North Dakota.

• Personal Injury: Six years
• Property Damage: Six years

Six years is a long time for a statute of limitations (two years is more common), which means you’ll have plenty of time to file a claim. Our advice, though, is to not wait too long.

The sooner you file your claim, the sooner you can receive help to get your life back on track after an accident.

North Dakota Unfair Claims Settlement Practices

North Dakota has an Unfair Claims Settlement Practices law to make sure that insurers fully disclose policy information. Why is this important?

It helps make sure that insurers don’t cheat customers out of benefits or claims. Insurers may choose to “forget” all your benefits during a claim or ignore your claim altogether.

To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, check that you are familiar with your policy and benefits.

Vehicle Licensing Laws

Every state has different vehicle licensing laws. While you may have been able to renew your license every eight years in one state, your new state may require you to renew it every two years.

To make sure you’re familiar with North Dakota’s vehicle licensing laws for all age groups, as well as the penalties for driving without insurance and reckless driving, we are going to go through must-know information.

Let’s begin.

REAL ID

You’ve probably noticed the REAL ID notices at DMVs and airports. Starting October 1st, 2020, you must have a REAL ID to enter federal buildings and fly domestically.

You are not required to have a REAL ID, as a passport counts a form of REAL ID. However, having a REAL ID driver’s license will take up less room in your pocket than a passport.

If you want to apply for a REAL ID license, you’ll need to bring the following documents to your DMV.

• Identification Proof: Examples include a birth certificate or certificate of citizenship.
• Name Change Proof (if applicable): Examples include a marriage or adoption certificate. (For more information, read our “Life Insurance and Adoption: What to Know“).
• Social Security Number (SSN) Proof: Examples include social security cards or W2 forms.
• North Dakota Residence Proof: Examples include tax or mortgage documents.

Simply bring the necessary documents to a DMV near you and apply for a REAL ID. Remember, the law goes into effect on October 1st, 2020. Unless you have a passport, you won’t be able to enter federal buildings or fly.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance

Because car insurance is a legal requirement for drivers in North Dakota, drivers who don’t have insurance will face strict penalties. As a reminder, the following are acceptable forms of proof of insurance.

• Valid insurance ID Card (can be electronic)
• Copy of your current insurance policy
• A certificate of self-insurance

Drivers have to provide proof of insurance at traffic stops, accidents, and when registering a vehicle. If drivers don’t have insurance or don’t provide proof of insurance when requested, they face the following penalties.

The North Dakota will send an intent to suspend registration letter if a driver’s registration is revoked. Drivers must comply with the letter’s instructions or face further penalties.

In the end, being caught without insurance will cause more of a headache than budgeting for car insurance. When drivers are caught and forced to buy insurance, they will find that insurers will raise rates because of the lapse in insurance.

Teen Driver Laws

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) details requirements for teen drivers in each state. In North Dakota, teens can apply for a learner’s license at age 14. This is much younger than in other states, where the average age is 16.

However, teens with learner’s licenses must meet the following requirements before they can test for an intermediate license.

Unless teens are 18 years of age, they must follow the restrictions of an intermediate license.

North Dakota doesn’t have passenger restrictions, which is unusual. Because teen drivers’ risk of crashing goes up with every teen passenger, parents should have their own passenger restrictions for teen drivers.

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Older Driver License Renewal Procedures

Older drivers sometimes face different renewal procedures than the general population. Below are the license renewal requirements for drivers aged 65 and older.

Until drivers turn 78, they can renew their license every 6 years (the same as the general population). However, drivers aged 65 and older must provide proof of adequate vision at every renewal and visit the DMV in person.

New Residents

If you are new to North Dakota, you must do a couple of things to make sure you’re following North Dakota’s car insurance laws.

• Notify your insurance provider – You need to let your insurer know you’ve moved, so your insurer can update your coverages to match North Dakota’s requirements and issue new ID cards. If your insurer doesn’t cover vehicles in North Dakota, you’ll need to find a new insurer.
• Register your car – You need to go to the DMV and register your car in North Dakota.
• Apply for a license – Make sure to go to the DMV and get a North Dakota driver’s license.

These items are important things to add to your to-do list. If you need a new insurer, make sure to have one lined up before you move to North Dakota. The last thing you want is a lapse in coverage.

License Renewal Procedures

Now that we’ve covered teen drivers and old drivers, let’s look at the license renewal procedures for the general population.

Drivers in North Dakota can get away with going 12 years without an in-person visit, as mail or online renewal is permitted every other renewal cycle.

However, proof of adequate vision is required at every renewal. For those that wear glasses or contacts, this isn’t a big deal, as yearly eye check visits are already on the to-do list.

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS)

Negligent Operator Treatment System (NOTS) is also known as reckless driving. Reckless driving means driving in a way that threatens others’ safety or property. Not to mention that reckless drivers are also putting themselves at risk.

Because of the risks of reckless driving, North Dakota has the following penalties in place to discourage it:

• Standard Reckless Driving: Class B misdemeanor; up to 30 days in jail and/or a maximum of $1,500 in fines, eight-point demerit on driving record.
• Aggravated Reckless Driving: Class A misdemeanor; up to a year in jail and/or a maximum of $3,000 in fines, 12-point demerit driving record.

Accumulation of multiple points will also result in license suspension, which means drivers who drive recklessly may lose the right to drive altogether.

Rules of the Road

Not knowing the rules of the road will result in expensive traffic tickets. Unfortunately, every state is slightly different in what rules of the road are in place.

To help you avoid breaking a law you didn’t even know existed, we are going to go through the must-know rules of the road in North Dakota.

Keep reading to learn about everything from North Dakota’s accident procedures to what automation is allowed on the roads.

Fault vs. No-Fault

North Dakota is a no-fault state. What does this mean?

According to the III, a no-fault state means regardless of who caused the accident, drivers must make a claim with their own insurance provider.

This is different from an at-fault state, where whoever caused the accident is responsible for the other driver’s accident costs. In no-fault states, every driver is responsible for themselves.

So as we stressed before, it is vital to have more than the minimum coverage in North Dakota. Since you’re depending solely on your insurer after accidents, the more insurance you have, the better protected you are.

Seat Belt & Car Seat Laws

Seat belts can save people’s lives in crashes, but not everyone buckles up. North Dakota has the following seat belt laws in place to encourage drivers and passengers to buckle up.

Enforcement of the seat belt law is not primary in North Dakota, which means officers can’t pull over and ticket someone for not wearing a seatbelt.

However, if a car goes through a stop sign (or any other traffic offense) and the driver isn’t wearing a seat belt, an officer can pull over the car and ticket the driver for both offenses.

Now that we’ve covered seat belt laws, let’s take a look at equally important safety laws for young passengers.

North Dakota doesn’t have an overly detailed list of car seat requirements. The best course is to carefully follow car seat manufacturers’ listed age and weight requirements.

One last safety law for passengers that we want to cover is restrictions on riding in cargo areas.

Unfortunately, North Dakota does not currently have a law restricting riding in cargo areas.

Because of this, it’s important to use common sense. Riders can easily be tossed out of cargo areas, so make sure to drive carefully and have passengers follow proper safety protocol.

Keep Right & Move Over Laws

The keep right law in North Dakota is easy to follow.

If drivers are driving slower than the average speed of traffic around them, they need to keep right.

The left lane should be reserved for faster vehicles and for passing.

The move over law in North Dakota is also simple to follow. Drivers must move over a lane (if possible) or slow down to a safe speed if passing one of following stationary vehicles with flashing lights:

• Emergency vehicles
• Highway maintenance vehicles
• Law enforcement
• Tow trucks
• Firetrucks
• Utility workers

Any time you see a stationary vehicle with flashing lights, follow the move over law. Why is this law so important?

Because someone could be walking around the vehicle. If drivers don’t move over or slow down, they could hit and kill the vehicle’s occupants as they work on the side of the road.

Speed Limits

Without speed limits, our roads would soon become like a NASCAR race track. North Dakota’s maximum posted speed limits are below.

North Dakota has higher speed limits than most states, but remember that these are the maximum posted speed limits. Drivers still have to follow whatever speed limit is posted on the road they are on.

Ridesharing

If you want to drive for a ridesharing service like Uber or Lyft, you’ll need to have ridesharing coverage. Your current provider may have ridesharing insurance. If they don’t, the rideshare company you’re applying to should have a list of providers.

While insurance is an important requirement to become a rideshare driver, drivers will also need to have good driving records and a few years of driving experience.

Their vehicles must also pass inspection to be safe to drive (your engine isn’t going to combust at any moment). If you don’t feel safe driving in your car, your passengers won’t, either.

Automation on the Road

With society moving toward self-driving cars, North Dakota has the following regulations in place.

The law requires all autonomous vehicles in North Dakota to have liability car insurance, regardless of the level of automation.

Safety Laws

Every state has laws in place to discourage drivers from participating in dangerous activities: driving drunk, impaired, or distracted. We want to take a look at North Dakota’s safety laws and penalties.

Let’s jump in.

DUI Laws

Driving drunk is one of the worst offenses a driver can commit. Too often, stories of drunk driving accidents are relayed on local news.

However, some states are worse than others in terms of the number of drunk driving accidents. Generally, the stricter the laws, the fewer drunk driving incidents there are.

In 2017, there were 46 alcohol-related fatalities in North Dakota.

Below you can see the details of North Dakota’s DUI law.

The lookback or washout period is how long a DUI offense will stay on a driver’s record. This is important because insurers raise rates for DUIs.

In addition to rate increases from insurers, there are also the following penalties in North Dakota.

The law doesn’t have any details about license suspension, but a DUI will add multiple points to a driver’s record. Accumulation of multiple points will result in license suspension.

We also want to note that drivers charged with a DUI can plea bargain down to a “wet reckless.” This charge is less serious than a DUI charge, carrying lower fines and less jail time.

Marijuana-Impaired Driving Laws

With medical and recreational marijuana slowly becoming legal across the U.S., some states have created specific laws about marijuana-impaired driving.

Currently, North Dakota does not have a law addressing marijuana-impaired driving.

This means that law enforcement will charge drivers under the influence of marijuana with impaired driving. This charge carries many of the same penalties as a DUI.

Distracted Driving Laws

While drunk and impaired driving may seem worse than distracted driving, drivers who drive distracted are just as dangerous. All it takes is a glance at a phone for a driver to rear-end another vehicle.

To help limit distractions, North Dakota has the following cellphone use law in place.

The law prohibits all drivers from texting. Enforcement of this cellphone use law is primary. If officers see drivers texting, they can pull drivers over and ticket them.

So put that phone down in North Dakota. Getting in a crash isn’t worth sending that text. If that message is that important, pull over and stop before sending a text.

Driving in North Dakota

Driving in a new state can be a bit of a culture shock. If you were used to winding roads and hills, moving to a state with flat, open highways will be an adjustment.

There are also new road dangers to watch out for, whether it’s an increase in wildlife or traffic. In North Dakota, for example, you’ll have to watch out for deer on the roads (especially in November).

To prepare you for what to expect on North Dakota’s roads, we are going to go through everything from vehicle theft to traffic congestion. Let’s get started.

Vehicle Theft in North Dakota

If you live in a state heavily populated with minivans, these cars are going to be stolen the most. Below are the top 10 stolen vehicles in North Dakota.

The vehicle year is simply the most popular year that was stolen out of the total thefts. So out of the 127 stolen Chevrolet pickups, the most popular stolen model was from 2002.

Now that we know which vehicles are most at risk, let’s see which cities in North Dakota have the most vehicle thefts.

Below is the FBI’s 2017 data report on vehicle theft in North Dakota.

According to the FBI’s data, the worst city for vehicle theft in North Dakota is Fargo, with 302 stolen vehicles in 2017. However, compared to other states, 302 stolen vehicles is low.

In other states, the worst city for vehicle thefts can have thousands of vehicles stolen in one year.

But in North Dakota, there are multiple cities (15) with zero stolen cars in 2017, such as Arnegard, Beulah, or Wishek. So while you should still lock up your vehicle, the good news is that vehicle theft doesn’t seem to be a significant problem in North Dakota.

Road Fatalities in North Dakota

Keeping alert on roads can help drivers avoid crashes. With so many variables on roads, such as weather conditions or drunk drivers, staying alert can increase drivers’ reaction time and save them from a deadly crash.

So let’s take a look at what risky variables are on North Dakota’s roads.

Most Fatal Highway in North Dakota

The riskiest highway to drive on in North Dakota is US-2.

Over the past 10 years, US-2 has seen 86 fatal crashes and 99 fatalities. The highway’s fatal crash rate is 0.7.

If you plan on driving on this highway, make sure to stay alert for potential crash risks.

Fatal Crashes by Weather Condition & Light Condition

There’s a reason that all new drivers must learn safety protocol on driving at night or hydroplaning. Inclement weather conditions and poor lighting can increase the risk of crashing.

While inclement weather conditions are less serious in states that are warm year-round, other states have to deal with snow, ice, and rain on a seasonal basis.

Below are the number of fatal crashes by weather and light condition in North Dakota.

More accidents occur during snow and sleet in North Dakota than during rain. However, the majority of accidents occur during normal weather conditions.

As for light conditions, 37 fatal accidents occurred during dark conditions. Driving at night requires focus and slower speeds, as it’s harder to see potential road dangers.

Fatalities (All Crashes) by County

We want to dig deeper into fatal crashes in North Dakota by looking at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) data.

Let’s start by looking at the NHTSA’s information on crashes by counties.

Mckenzie County and Williams County had the most fatalities in 2013. However, both counties managed to drastically lower their fatality numbers in 2016 and 2017, which is good news.

If counties continue to promote safe driving and enforce driving laws, fatalities should continue to drop.

Traffic Fatalities

Another set of crash data that we want to look at is crashes on rural versus urban roads.

The vast majority of accidents in North Dakota occur on rural roads, not urban. This makes sense, as North Dakota is a more rural state, with only a few large cities.

Fatalities by Person Type

When we say person type, we don’t mean a driver’s personality traits. Instead, we mean if a fatality is a car occupant, pedestrian, or cyclist.

The number of cyclist and pedestrian deaths has slowly increased over the years. If you walk or cycle near a roadway, wear bright, reflective clothing and stay on the side of the road.

Fatalities by Crash Type

We’ve covered what road types have the most fatalities, as well as what the worst counties are. But what are the worst crash types? After all, a slight fender-bender is not the same as a rollover crash.

The total number of fatalities has slowly decreased since 2013. The drop in fatalities can be contributed to decreasing numbers in roadway departure and large truck crashes.

Five-Year Trend for the Top 10 Counties

The largest counties in North Dakota are listed below, along with their fatal crash numbers.

Mckenzie County, Ward County, and Williams County tend to have the highest fatality rates.

Fatalities Involving Speeding by County

Speeding is dangerous. It is one of the top contributors to driving fatalities, which is why enforcement of speed limits is important.

Below are the number of speeding fatalities by county.

In 2017, Mckenzie County had the highest number of speeding fatalities. However, this number was only four fatalities. This is great, as speeding doesn’t seem to be a major cause of crashes in North Dakota.

Either North Dakota’s law enforcement is doing a great job of preventing speeding, or North Dakota’s higher speed limits means most drivers don’t feel the need to speed.

Fatalities in Crashes Involving an Alcohol-Impaired Driver (BAC=.08+) by County

Unfortunately, drunk driving fatalities are more common than speeding fatalities in North Dakota’s counties.

While the highest number in 2017 is only four fatalities (the same as speeding), the total number of driving fatalities for drunk driving is higher than speeding fatalities.

Teen Drinking & Driving

Teen drivers frequently participate in risky behaviors, such as drinking and driving.

North Dakota has an average of 2.4 underage, alcohol-impaired fatalities per 100,000 people.

This is worse than the national average of 1.2 underage, alcohol-impaired fatalities per 100,000 people. In fact, there are only two states with higher averages than North Dakota (Alabama and South Dakota).

Since North Dakota has the third-highest death rate for underage drunk driving, let’s take a look at law enforcement arrest rates.

North Dakota has a high arrest record. Hopefully, continued arrests will discourage teen drivers from drinking and driving.

EMS Response Time

Now that we’ve completed our depressing list of crash statistics in North Dakota, let’s switch gears and look at the 2017 EMS response times.

Help will come faster in urban areas, about half an hour faster than in rural areas. In a rural area, it takes about an hour from the time of the accident to hospital arrival.

Transportation

Every state is different in what transportation it offers and what traffic is like. Since North Dakota is a rural state, there will likely be less traffic. However, public transit is also likely to not be as readily available.

To see how most North Dakota residents get around, we are going to look at Data USA’s information on transit in North Dakota. In all the graphs, North Dakota is orange, and U.S. averages are grey.

Car Ownership

The majority of households in North Dakota own a total of two cars.

A small percentage of households (2.06 percent) do not own any cars at all. These households must depend on ridesharing, public transit, or walking/cycling to travel.

Commute Time

The average commute in North Dakota takes 15.8 minutes (or 31.6 minutes a day). This is significantly less than the U.S. average of 25.5 minutes (51 minutes)

Only 1.49 percent of residents in North Dakota have a super commute of 90+ minutes a day (roughly three hours a day).

Commuter Transportation

Now that we know most residents spend only half an hour a day commuting to and from work, let’s see how most residents get to work.

The majority of residents drive alone to work. Only a small percentage (0.527 percent) of residents in North Dakota use public transit to get to work.

Traffic Congestion in North Dakota

North Dakota is not known for its traffic. So if you hate sitting in traffic, North Dakota may be the state for you.

North Dakota is not on any major traffic scorecards such as Inrix, TomTom, or Numbeo.

With an average commute of 15 minutes and little trafficnai congestion, North Dakota is a great state for work commutes.

We hope we answered all your questions in our guide. Hopefully, you now feel confident and prepared to pick an insurer and drive around North Dakota.

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