Where in America Are Drivers Most Likely to Have a Wreck?
Driving a car is always risky, but if you want to stay safe, you may want to avoid the nation’s capital.
For the fifth year in a row, Washington, DC has ranked as the US city where motorists have the most accidents.
According to a new report from insurance company Allstate, DC drivers are involved in a crash every 4.7 years, twice as often as the average American driver. Nearby Baltimore didn’t fare much better, with wrecks occurring every 5.3 years.
Compare that to the crash rates of Sioux Falls, SD, where drivers go an average of 13.8 years between collisions, earning it the fifth straight title of “safest driving city.” Meanwhile, in cities with at least a million residents, Phoenix and San Diego took the top honors.
Overall, crash rates in the US have been on the decline in recent years, but they could be even lower if we’d all just pay attention while we’re driving. The US Department of Transportation blames common distractions like cell phone usage, eating, grooming and adjusting the radio for about 20 percent of wrecks that cause injuries.