Drivers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, might want to hit the brakes on their driving habits after the city was named the location with the worst drivers in the nation, per a recent Forbes Advisor study. With stats like high incidents of fatal car accidents and a worrying number of crashes involving drunk or distracted drivers, it's a metric many would prefer not to lead. Forbes Advisor's analysis, which took into account the 50 most populous U.S. cities, weighed heavily on public safety threats behind the wheel.
Detroit has the dubious honor of ranking third on the list, with Detroit drivers showing particularly poor stats, including an eyebrow-raising number of fatal accidents involving drunken drivers, and a propensity for speeding, which Forbes Advisor cited as major factors in the city's high rating. "The total number of fatal car accidents (19.76 per 100,000 city residents). The number of fatal car accidents involving a drunken driver (6.54 per 100,000 city residents). The number of fatal car accidents involving speeding (6.8 per 100,000 city residents). The number of people killed in fatal crashes (21.47 per 100,000 city residents)," noted a Detroit Free Press report detailing the grim findings.
It's not just a Midwestern problem. Southern California, often lampooned for its snarl of traffic and aggressive driving culture, managed to avoid the top of the list, yet several cities found themselves ranked for dangerous driving behaviors. Specifically, Fresno slid in at No. 22, with Los Angeles a bit further down at 37, as highlighted by an ABC7 article on the study.
But it's not all bad news on the roads. If you're looking for safer streets, Forbes Advisor pointed out that Boston drivers clinched the title for best drivers in the survey, with a few California cities, notably San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego, making it into the top 10 for safest-driving cities, according to a report from The Hill. The analysis was clear in linking driver behavior with insurance rates – the more dangerous the driving, the higher the expected cost for insurance. “Getting speeding tickets, running red lights, texting while driving and other reckless behaviors all raise your chances of accidents and damage claims," the report emphasized.
In a statement that may resonate with many a driver, "Our analysis identifies the cities where drivers engage in the most hazardous behavior that threatens public safety,” as per The Hill report. With cities like Memphis, Tennessee, and Tucson, Arizona, also prominent on the list of perilous pavements, the report serves as a sobering reminder that the road can indeed be a risky place when shared with the worst of drivers.
