Washington, D.C. is number one! No it is not number one in educational scores or safe streets. We have been found to be the worst drivers in America. The good news is that car crash fatalities are at the lowest level they’ve been since 1949. Yet, in looking at an average more than 32,000 every year, Washington drivers stood out for their lack of competency on the roads. The safest? Sioux Falls, S.D. Sure it’s safe but who goes to Sioux Falls? Everyone comes here just to see the cars crash.
Drivers in Washington reportedly get into an accident every 4.7 years on average.
Philadelphia — “The City of Brotherly Love” — comes off as . . . well less than brotherly. The average driver in Philadelphia will get into an accident every 6.1 years and are 64.1 percent more likely to get into an accident than the average driver. Drivers across the country get into an accident every 10 years. You can compare that to Sioux Falls with an auto collision every 13.8 years or 27.6 percent less likely than the national average of 10 years.
I have personally found driving in Boston to be the most nerve racking when it comes to aggressive drivers though I have noticed more aggressive driving lately in my home city of Chicago. Chicago ranks 152nd with drivers that are 25.95 % more likely to get into an accident. At 176th, New York City drivers are 41.1% more likely to get into an accident. Many will not be surprised to see Los Angeles near the bottom at 182nd with drivers who are 48.5% more likely to get into an accident.
As a torts professor, I am simply grateful to be teaching the subject in the epicenter for negligence in America. It is like teaching javelin in 776 BC in Olympia. Today I think I will just take my students out for a field trip to watch the cars crash to experience torts in realtime.
Source: All State
Pete, I think we’re two of just the few people who liked that flick! I love both actors. Thanks.
I have been a pedestrian/local transit rider for most of my life. I was hit by a car while crossing in a marked crosswalk with the walk light in DC. The drivers are the worst in that area than any where. No doubt.
Most nerve burning place for me? Istanbul. 2nd Bodrum, Turkey.
We rented a cab to drive us from the bus station to our hotel. I have been in high speed vehicle pursuits and never was I as nervous as this. My foot instinctively pressing the imaginary brake on the floor.
The cabbie elected to take a shortcut, through an alley. He swerved around people as if he was on a slalom course on a ski slope. I can tell you exactly how wide the alley was. It was the sum of the width of his bumper, a goat, a frightened old woman holding her arms up, and one angstrom.
Finally we were lucky to emerge from the alley without any death or dismemberment, but to our ghastly surprise, the road was closed due to an excavation. Undaunted, the cabbie took the most obvious solution, backing up at full speed; another horrorshow played in reverse.
nick
Professor–your graphic– very pretty but the wrong finger…
I drove from Rome to Sorrento on New Years weekend. Should take 3 hours..took me 10!
bettykath, I’ve driven Carlsbad to El Paso. The caverns are great but I was fortunate it was not bat season. Bats winter in Mexico and I visited Carlsbad in January. I’m deathly afraid of bats. Not much in El Paso but urban sprawl and factory dairy farms. Nearby Las Cruces, NM is a cool college town. I drive Wi. to San Diego every winter..take different routes.
I didn’t drive in Rome and never will – bumper to bumper; top speed; drivers squeeze in an extra lane; scooters between the cars so close you can touch them; a car flips over, ends up in the median, no one even slows down. One ride was enough!
Washington isn’t easy. Lots of tourists who are trying to find their way among the one ways and the circles. On visit I tried to get to the mall to visit the museums but ended up in Arlington about 4 times. Then I wanted to leave Washington via Arlington and couldn’t get there! Considering that I’ve driven in several European countries, including England, and across the US more times than I can count without getting lost, I don’t think it was me. (Not that I’d admit if it were) But there was that one unintended detour to El Paso from Carlsbad NM when I was on my way to Dallas.
My brother lived in D.C. (really in Alexandria but worked in D.C) for decades. After three years he bought his first beater for driving in D.C … every two years or so he would replace it with another beater.
His “good” car stayed parked at home for whenever he wanted to travel outside of D.C.
Ever notice the number of abandoned beaters on the side of the roads leading into and out of D.C.?
The worst drivers at not stopping at stop signs are in Boston. A stop sign to them is a pause sign. Next are New Yorkies. Both feet on the peddles at the same time– one on the gas the left on the brake. Stop and go at the same time. Then when they get old and retire and move to North Carolina they are the worst of the worse. And sometimes worser. This dog used to live in a place called Fairfield Harbor, NC. We had names for the Yorkies: Sleep At The Switch, Tailgate Terry, Weaving Wesley, Dont Stop Now, George, Harold The Blind Guy. etc
Driving in Chicago isn’t that bad. It is crowded, but I find the driving crazier in the suburbs.
I’ve lived and worked in 3 different time zones and 7 states. I’ve been to 43 states. The professor is correct about Boston, the streets are old and the drivers angry and impatient. When I see an out of state license plate I become more cautious and tolerant, as I like to think most people do. Bostonians see an out of stater and go in for the kill! However, I’ve driven in Rome and that’s the worst driving experience of my life. We spend Winter in San Diego. The best drivers I’ve ever encountered. They drive fast but always signal and are just good drivers. Have you all noticed how an increasing number of people just don’t signal anymore?
That’s from people reading “Taxation without Representation” while they’re driving.
Also because the circles were designed by a Frenchman who was addicted to absinthe.
Having driven in Sux Falls SD I have to think a big part of their relative safety has to do with the large amount of space between vehicles. If they were jammed together as closely as they get in big cities (particularly big cities with streets laid out in the 18the Century) I don’t think they would fair so well.
If you wanted a real death race put 50% Wisconsin drivers on the road with 50% Massachusetts drivers. In WI turning on your signal to change lanes is an indicator for the guy in the other lane to speed up and prevent your changing. In MA the turn signal means I have already started to change so get out of my way.
The reason your lovely Chicago didn’t rank high is because the streets there are huge. Even if there are aggressive drivers outside of the freeway its not going to matter much whereas DCs streets are filled to the brim with traffic, and often those streets aren’t wide, have circles (in NW anyway), and more bicycles than your average city. Plus the cabs and buses here are overly aggressive as well (but for cabs that’s normal). As for LA everyone there must be taking it slow, driving 2 mph if you know what I mean. Teaching Javelin throwing almost 3000 years later still seems pretty dangerous after that Ref was killed with a blow to the neck, though that’s what the spears are intended for.
Being number one is not synonymous with being the best it would seem.
I thought Washington D.C. was Number 2
They didn’t drive in Miami……flawed results…… Worst city other than Chicago or Mexico City…..