The Worst US Cities To Drive In

There are many reasons driving can be a joy and an adventure, including a nice vacation or road trip. However, the everyday grind of a work commute certainly doesn’t fall into that same category. It actually makes it more likely that you might even be involved in an automobile accident. No one wants that.

If you are going to be doing the driving yourself, you will most likely want to avoid the Boston area. Holding the national number one spot in car crashes, Allstate ranked the city 200 of 200, meaning they have the shortest typical span between claims. In fact, at just over three years, their rate is nearly 180 percent more than the entire national average.

The average accident stats for the United States shows that drivers tend to have an accident about once every ten years. Factors that are, for the most part, preventable seem to be the primary cause for almost 95% of those accidents. It is yet to be determined, however, if a simple visit to or drive through Boston is considered “preventable”.

Allstate also provides some information based on studies of the largest two hundred cities in the United States, including the metropolitan areas that surround them. The base the info on claims of damage made between the beginning of 2014 and the end of 2015. Overall, the Eastern seaboard came in at the bottom of the list. This means they were the worst, with the top eight consisting of states from the original thirteen colonies as well as the DC area.

Following is the Top Ten list of worst cities, complete with the worst drivers, in the United States. See where you rank.

1. Philadelphia (Pennsylvania): Philly might be the best place to visit for some great food, but not if you’re driving. With more than one million residents, it’s no wonder driving can be hard. When traffic becomes tied up, with few alternative routes, it can often cause lots of issues for drivers.
2. New Haven (Connecticut): Many Connecticut cities tend to get clogged with traffic, but in New Haven, you’re actually more likely to be involved in a collision. Traffic is so bad there, in fact, drivers consume a whopping twenty wasted gallons of fuel along with hours of down time, each year. Reports say this is likely to increase with time.
3. Los Angeles (California): The city of Angels has some of the best seafood in the country and is home to various top-notch parks and museums. However, nothing can overpower the fact that LA has a positively abysmal driving history. This is partly due to the face that public transportation isn’t exactly a strong suit in the city.
4. Providence (Rhode Island): Drivers in this small town often report a great deal of unpredictability on the roadways. Traffic in New York city is often preferred over some of the Rhode Island traffic.
5. Glendale (California): 2017 is the 12th consecutive year in which Glendale has made the list of worst cities to drive in.
6. Springfield (Massachusetts): Springfield has insurance rates that are quite high, because of the possibility of a collision. However, lower rates are attainable with a good driving record.
7. Washington (DC): Not the worst, but definitely not the best, DC residents are more than 130% more likely to file a claim with their auto insurance company.
8. Worcester (Massachusetts): Another Massachusetts town hits the countdown, but residents are quick to remind you, Boston is the worst.
9. Baltimore (Maryland): Statistics show that if you happen to be on the streets of Baltimore, you are more than 140% more likely to be involved in an automobile accident.
10. Boston (Massachusetts): As the worst rated city for driving, average drivers in Boston only go a little more than three and a half years between insurance claims.

A Safer Alternative

As you can see, many of the largest and most widely traveled cities in America are actually quite dangerous. You might wonder how you could avoid the possibility of being involved in these types of statistics.

The best way, and one we recommend, is finding a licensed limo service as a reliable alternative to driving. Not only will you be safer and more comfortable, but you’ll have no regrets.