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One thing that many people wonder about when they’re on the road is whether or not an area is known for safe drivers, or if drivers tend to be excessively aggressive. Everyone knows that driving on the Beltway in D.C. isn’t going to be a walk (or drive) in the park; the same can be said about driving on any Southern California freeway. Where are all the safe drivers in the United States?
Allstate, the car insurance company, apparently knows; and it’s no wonder that they have extrapolated the data, since premiums are partially based on the possibility of an accident. More safe drivers, less possibility that an accident will occur.
The first tidbit of information that you’ll need to know before learning about how safe it is to drive in certain cities is that a driver in the United States is involved in an accident, on average, once every ten years. That means that any city boasting a longer amount of time between accidents on average will be considered a safer city in which to drive.
The U.S. city with the safest drivers? Fort Collins, Colorado, with an average of one accident per driver every fourteen years. Here’s the entire list*; note that there is a trend of the safest drivers being located in the West:
1. Fort Collins, Colo.
2. Boise, Idaho
3. Lincoln, Neb.
4. Chandler, Ariz.
5. Huntsville, Ala.
6. Knoxville, Tenn.
7. Springfield, Mo.
8. Reno, Nev.
9. Eugene, Ore.
10. Chattanooga, Tenn.
If you’re looking for a lower car insurance premium and less stress on the streets, these are the cities you may want to look into. Interested in a bigger city? Allstate also published information about cities that have a population of one million or more, with the five top ranking cities being Phoenix, San Diego, San Antonio, Houston, and Chicago, respectively.
One trend that is apparent is that the safest drivers are located in the West. Why are none of the cities on either list on the East Coast, and why do no Northeastern cities make it onto the list? The most likely explanation is the concentration of people in one place and the street layout.
If you’re looking for a safe place to drive, with the added benefit of lower car insurance premiums, the Midwest and West are a good place to look.
*List information compliments of Insurance.com
