In March 2023, US News and World Report commissioned a study of the 50 largest cities in the U.S. to determine which were the most and least safe cities for driving. The study looked at the number of traffic fatalities in each city from 2016 to 2020. It also examined the average number of miles driven within a state, and the number of DUI arrests.
So let’s start with the safest cities:
- Boston, MA
- New York City, NY
- Honolulu, HI
- Washington, D.C.
- Minneapolis, MN
- Chicago, IL
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Seattle, WA
- San Francisco, CA
- Columbus, OH
And now the least safe:
- Memphis, TN
- Albuquerque, NM
- Detroit, MI
- Louisville, KY
- Tucson, AZ
- Phoenix, AZ
- Jacksonville, FL
- Mesa, AZ
- Dallas, TX
- Atlanta, GA
That’s right, we are the 10th least safe city for drivers, according to this report. What are some other takeaways from this study?
- Not only is Memphis the least safe city, it is also the #1 city for traffic fatalities per 100,000 people. Albuquerque, NM is the #1 city for traffic fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled..
- Boston is the safest city, and it came in last for auto thefts per 100,000 people.
- Denver and Colorado Springs rank #1 and 2 in DUI arrests per capita, with Milwaukee, Seattle and Albuquerque rounding out the top five. Ironic that Seattle is #4, when it’s considered one of the safest driving cities in the country.
- Bakersfield, CA is the worst when it comes to vehicle theft.
In the next post in our series, we will discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic changed driving habits and also fatality rates. For more information, check out our “Car Accidents 101” page.
