or most drivers, simply trying to make it to work without getting stuck in a traffic jam caused by a car crash has become part of our daily commute. Even if you can avoid the chaos those accidents affect every single person behind the wheel.

When it comes to insurance rates, Nevada makes another top ten list coming in at number nine. The average household in the Silver State pays more than $2,500 a year for auto insurance. That's about $225 more than the national average.

Insurance companies base your rate on a number of different factors. Everything from the zip code you live in to your credit history, and it all boils down to statistics.

In a city that relies on people taking chances, insurance companies know Las Vegas is a sure bet when it comes to high accident rates. It's a major reason premiums are so high in Clark County.

Even if you haven't been in an accident there are many other factors that can cause your insurance rates to climb. Some of the obvious considerations are your gender, your age, your driving record, and how many miles you drive a day. But some that you might not consider is your marital status, the zip code you live in and even your credit score.

Michael Geeser said, "So, the logic goes like this -- if somebody is conservative and consistent and responsible in making payments on their debt, they are probably going to be the same type of driver. If somebody that has a credit score that is all over the map and shows an irresponsible history, statistics have found that those people are more likely be all over the road."

Michael Geeser, with AAA Auto Club of Nevada, admits it's a complex combination based on statistics. But when it comes down to it, insurance companies say it simply costs a lot of money to insure drivers in Southern Nevada.

The odds are also stacked against drivers based on statistics we can't control -- growth being a major contributor to high rates.

"We have a lot more cars now than we ever have before. We have taken a lot of cars and people and put them into a smaller space. So infrastructure hasn't kept up with the amount of people who are driving," Geeser continued.

Pam MacKay, with the Nevada Division of Insurance, said, "We have the heaviest traffic on urban streets. We have the highest theft rate. We are second in the nation for fatality caused by people running red lights. We are the fourth highest for the number of bodily injury claims."

Despite the long list of contributing factors that keep our premiums one of the highest in the country, MacKay says there are ways to lower your costs. "Shop around and compare, because knowing the coverage's that suits you the best and not buying what you don't need saves money."

Auto insurance can be very confusing. In Nevada alone there are more than 200 different companies selling auto insurance. Every year the Nevada Division of Insurance issues a consumer guide to auto insurance rates comparing premiums and explaining the insurance lingo.