As you go from city to city by car, you may find that some cities, highways, and drivers are superior to others. You may be surprised to see which American cities made the list of greatest and worst places to drive.
Recent research and data from U.S. News reveal “The Most and Least Safe Cities for U.S. Drivers.” Only one city in Texas made the list of the least safe, and none of the top safest.
Let’s start off with the best. Here is the list:
- Boston
- New York City
- Honolulu
- Washington D.C.
- Minneapolis
- Chicago
- Virginia Beach
- Seattle
- San Francisco
- Columbus
If you are like me and think these answers have to be wrong apparently they aren’t.
According to US News, “The degree of risk a driver faces is determined by a number of factors, including where they live, how many miles they drive, and the type of car they own. Where someone lives also can influence how much they pay for auto insurance. For example, the average annual car insurance rate is less than $900 in Lebanon, New Hampshire, while the average annual rate is more than $3,300 in Miami.”
From 2016 to 2020, researchers analyzed data on the number of people killed in car accidents in each municipality. The study also compared the rates of fatalities per capita across the country over the study period. They also considered the per-capita rates of drunk driving, theft, and fatalities.
Next, the riskiest option. I was betting that the Texas city of Lubbock would make the cut, but it wasn’t included. I really dislike driving in the one that did since it is so terrible. You might check out the related post about The Texas Hill Country For Spring Vacation.
10 Least Safe U.S. Cities for Driving:
- Memphis
- Albuquerque
- Detroit
- Louisville
- Tucson
- Phoenix
- Jacksonville
- Mesa
- Dallas
- Atlanta
Memphis tops the list of riskiest cities for U.S. drivers, according to our analysis. It ranks No. 1 when it comes to fatal car accidents per capita and No. 1 for people involved in fatal crashes per capita. In addition, Memphis is ranked No. 9 when it comes to the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Rounding out the top five cities for overall risk are Albuquerque, N.M. (No. 2); Detroit (No. 3); Louisville, Ken. (No. 4); and Tuscon, Ariz. (No.5). Two other Arizona cities also are in the top 10: Phoenix (No. 6) and Mesa (No. 8). As we have described the safest city to drive to make sure to check out Two Texas Cities Named In Top 10 Most Glamorous Cities In The US.
Boston is the safest city for drivers. Albuquerque, N.M., has the highest fatality rate. Colorado cities lead the nation in DUI arrests. Bakersfield, Calif., is the worst for vehicle theft. For the 50 riskiest U.S. cities for driving: Fort Worth came in 19th place, El Paso 29, Austin 30, and Arlington 35.