The Allstate Insurance Company released today its fifth annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report.” It ranks America’s 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers according to Allstate claims data.
This year’s top honor of “America’s Most Improved Driving City” is Alexandria, Virginia. According to the report, the average driver in Alexandria will experience an auto collision every 7.2 years, an improvement of 1.8 years since 2005 when the survey began. Allstate will congratulate motorists in Alexandria for their safe driving improvements with a free gas giveaway today.
Five out of the top 10 most improved driving cities were in Virginia — Alexandria, Hampton, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Richmond.
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America’s Safest Driving Cities |
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City, Overall Ranking |
Collision Likelihood* |
Years Between Collisions |
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1 |
Sioux Falls, SD |
-26.1% |
13.5 |
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| 2 |
Fort Collins, CO |
-24.6% |
13.3 |
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| 3 |
Chattanooga, TN |
-21.4% |
12.7 |
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| 4 |
Cedar Rapids, IO |
-20.7% |
12.6 |
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| 5 |
Knoxville, TN |
-19.0% |
12.3 |
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| 6 |
Fort Wayne, IN |
-18.4% |
12.2 |
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| 7 |
Lexington-Fayette, KY |
-17.7% |
12.1 |
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| 8 |
Eugene, OR |
-16.3% |
11.9 |
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| 9 |
Boise, ID |
-15.4% |
11.8 |
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| 10 |
Colorado Springs, CO |
-15.0% |
11.8 |
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* Compared to the national average. Source: Allstate |
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Read Safely!
Drivers in U.S. cities with populations of one million-plus are more likely to experience a collision when compared to the national average. Motorists in Phoenix topped the list in this category, only +8.8%, making them the safest big city commuters.
The worst apparently come from the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia drivers have +57% more collisions than the national average.
Auto collisions have declined during the last few years, but fatalities still average around 40,000, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. There is currently a debate in the safety community over what is the most effective way to improve this, whether it’s working on human factors and driver training or road and vehicle designs. Cell phone use, texting, and other portable electronic devices are emerging as clear and significant hazards.
About the Report
For the past five years, Allstate actuaries have conducted an in-depth analysis of company claim data to determine the likelihood drivers in America’s 200 largest cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. Internal property damage reported claims were analyzed over a two-year period from January 2006 to December 2007.) A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. Allstate’s auto policies represent about 11.3% of all U.S. auto policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what’s happening on America’s roadways.