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Texas leads the nation with four cities among the nation’s top 20 safest for driving while Boston is the most collision-prone, according to a new Allstate report.
USA TODAY had an exclusive look at the Allstate annual report, now in its 17th year. The report analyzes collision data from the insurer to rank the safest and riskiest cities for drivers across the nation. The results of the report do not affect insurance rates, Allstate said.
“We do this report to shed light on driving safety trends across the country to really educate drivers and we look to hopefully inspire safer driving habits,” Sandee Lindorfer, Allstate vice president of auto claims, told USA TODAY. “At the end of the day, we want to save lives.”
This year, Allstate analyzed property or collision damage claims for a two-year period in 2022 and 2023 and compared the results to data published a decade ago to see if there were shifts in driving safety across the country.
What are the top 10 safest cities?
The top 10 safest cities, according to Allstate data are:
- Brownsville, Texas
- Boise, Idaho
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Cary, North Carolina
- Laredo, Texas
- Olathe, Kansas
- Scottsdale, Arizona
- Port St. Lucie, Florida
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Eugene, Oregon
Texas, with four cities in the top 20, also had McAllen (Number 11) and Corpus Christi (Number 20).
What are the top 10 riskiest cities?
The top 10 riskiest cities (or lowest of the 200 ranked in the U.S.), according to Allstate data are:
200. Boston
199. Washington, D.C.
198. Baltimore
197. Worcester, Massachusetts
196. Springfield, Massachusetts
195. Glendale, California
194. Los Angeles
193. Oakland, California
192. Providence, Rhode Island
191. Philadelphia
What regions of the country are safer for driving?
Here’s how regions fared in the study:
East Coast or West Coast: which is riskier? Seven of the 10 cities with the highest collision rates are located in the Northeast, including Boston, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.
But Allstate said not to count out the West Coast: Los Angeles, Glendale and Oakland, California round out the 10 riskiest cities for drivers.
In addition to having four of the top 20 safest cities for driving, Texas also had 21 cities that climbed the ranks over the past decade including major metro areas like Austin, Forth Worth, Houston and Dallas.
The Pacific Northwest improved: drivers in the states of Washington, Oregon and Alaska are safer behind the wheel than they were a decade ago, Allstate said, with some of the largest reductions in collisions nationwide. Bellevue, Washington, leads the way as it climbed 133 spots since 2015 as the most-improved city. Anchorage, Alaska and Portland, Oregon also made significant strides, Allstate said.
Several Midwest cities experienced significant declines in safe driving since 2015: St. Louis had the steepest drop, falling 90 spots to Number 175. Des Moines, Iowa, dropped 89 spots to Number 108 and Kansas City, Missouri fell 84 spots to Number 101. Other Midwest cities that also slid in their rankings include: Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Minneapolis, Cleveland, Omaha, Nebraska and Indianapolis.
Ways to stay safer on the roads
Here are some tips from Allstate and Lindorfer to stay safer on the roads:
- Stick to the speed limit and drive safely: It sounds simple, but it pays off, said Allstate. Avoiding violations and accidents for several months can earn safe driving discounts.
- Use a safe-driving app: Programs like Allstate’s Drivewise, which rewards safe driving habits like safe speeds, gentle braking and staying off your phone can be helpful, Lindorfer said. Drivers who use the Allstate app are 25% less likely to have a severe collision compared to those who don’t use it, she said.
- Consider cars with strong safety features: Cars that come equipped with such features as airbags, anti-lock brakes, advanced driver aids and factory-installed anti-theft systems reduce the risk of accidents and theft, Allstate said.
- Help young drivers be successful: Young drivers under the age of 25 can save money on insurance by completing an approved driver’s education program or maintaining good grades.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at blinfisher@USATODAY.com or follow her on X, Facebook or Instagram @blinfisher and @blinfisher.bsky.social on Bluesky. Sign up for our free The Daily Money newsletter, which will include consumer news on Fridays, here.
