According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 2 million car accidents a year, and over 40,000 people die in those accidents. The primary reason drivers have a crash is that they are tired, drunk, or speeding. A new study looks at the most dangerous drivers by city using such metrics.
The new Forbes Advisor’s “Cities With the Worst Drivers, Ranked” report measures the number of people in fatal crashes, total crashes, crashes involving drunk drivers, and those that involved speeding. The top 50 American cities represented the universe of geographies covered. Data came from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. Census Bureau. (These are the most challenging American cities to drive in.)
The ranking was based on a five-year metrics average from 2017 to 2021. Looking at the year after this period, the researchers wrote, “Fatal car accidents are increasing across the country, with the number of deadly crashes climbing by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2022.”
Albuquerque, New Mexico, topped the list of most dangerous cities to drive in. It had high incidence of fatal car accidents, drunk drivers, and distracted drivers. The city ranked first in fatal accidents involving a distracted driver (5.42 per 100,000). It ranked third highest in fatal crashes (17.11). And it also came in third for the number of people who died in fatal crashes (18.11).
On a scale of 100 to 0, Albuquerque had a score of 100.
These are the 10 American cities with the most dangerous drivers:
| City | Score | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | 100.00 | 18.11 |
| Memphis | 98.51 | 25.96 |
| Detroit | 94.97 | 21.47 |
| Tucson | 93.02 | 17.02 |
| Kansas City | 91.19 | 16.85 |
| Dallas | 90.97 | 15.77 |
| Louisville | 83.88 | 14.99 |
| Phoenix | 80.65 | 14.59 |
| Fort Worth | 78.03 | 11.48 |
| Tampa | 77.13 | 15.42 |
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