South Florida Injury Attorney Blog

Allstate Insurance Company published its eighth annual report on “America’s Best Drivers” this summer. The report ranks two hundred American cities based on the frequency with which drivers have auto collisions and the overall likelihood of accidents. It includes four cities in south Florida, and none of them receive a high ranking. Other Florida cities rank higher on the list, but for the most part, not much higher. This is largely due to population and traffic density in large metropolitan areas like Miami and Tampa, which can lead to more frequent car collisions. The study, while not necessarily a representative sample of all drivers in south Florida or the rest of the country, can still provide useful guidance to understand the risks of car accidents in the area.

Actuarial data, based on claims for car accidents made to Allstate, formed the basis of the report. Allstate is one of the largest providers of car insurance in the country, but by its own estimate it only accounts for ten percent of auto policies. For this reason, the report may not impress scientists or statisticians, but it can still offer, as Allstate says, a “realistic snapshot” of driving conditions around the country. Researchers identified two key indicators for ranking the “Best Drivers”: the length of time an average driver is likely to go between accidents, and the percentage difference between the likelihood of an accident in a particular city and the national average. Cities with the “Best Drivers” have the longest period of time between accidents and the lowest likelihood of accidents relative to the rest of the country.

This was Allstate’s eighth annual “Best Driver” report, and it has noted a tendency for smaller cities in less populous areas to have “better” drivers than larger, more densely-populated areas. This year, it declared Washington, DC to have the “worst” drivers, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota to have the “best.” Denser, more populated cities present different challenges for drivers than smaller cities, including a greater number of potential distractions, heavier traffic, and less-predictable road conditions.