Voters: Pacific Northwest Has North America’s Worst Roads

DAYTON, Tenn. – The Pacific Northwest has the worst roads in North America, according to a competition hosted by Nokian Tyres.

Voters chose the PNW over Quebec in the finals of Nokian Tyres’ online competition, which pitted six North American regions against each other for the dubious prize. In addition to the bracket-style competition on social media, the global tiremaker invited drivers to make the case for their regions at NokianTyres.com/Potholes.

The region’s Worst Roads status is well-earned. Seattle ranked number one nationally for potholes, according to USA Today’s analysis of Google searches in 2024. And the unpredictable weather coming off the Cascades leads to vicious freeze-thaw cycles that wreak havoc on road surfaces.

Nokian Tyres used the campaign to educate drivers about its Pothole Protection program. The company infuses its all-season tires with puncture-resistant Aramid fibers, which help prevent punctures and blowouts by strengthening a tire’s sidewalls – and in some cases, by reinforcing its tread, too.

Aramid-equipped tires are eligible for Nokian Tyres’ Pothole Protection program. If a tire suffers damage beyond repair from a road hazard or pothole, the company will replace it at no cost. *

“We’d like to congratulate and console drivers in the Pacific Northwest for winning our Worst Roads award,” said Nokian Tyres North America Director of Marketing Hans Dyhrman. “This is a fun competition that sends a serious message – that drivers can take important steps to protect themselves from potholes.”

The bracket-style competition included the following regions:

• Pacific Northwest
• Quebec
• Rocky Mountains
• Northeast
• Midwest
• Western Canada

Nokian Tyres promoted the campaign via social media posts, testimonials from brand ambassadors, and messaging from its business partners. The inventor of the winter tire makes all-season, all-weather and winter tires for the North American market.

Consumers can follow Nokian Tyres at @NokianTyresNA on Instagram and Facebook for ongoing education about how to achieve year-round peace of mind on the road. The company offers tire education on a dedicated web page, NokianTyres.com/Potholes.