6 cities with the worst drivers in the United States

Forbes Advisor conducted an analysis that allowed to identify the cities where drivers exhibit the most dangerous behaviors

A driver’s safety will always be at risk due to the behavior of other drivers. Fatal traffic accidents increased by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2022, a concerning figure. Although this statistic reflects the situation across the United States, there are cities within the country with a higher percentage of dangerous drivers on the roads.

Forbes Advisor conducted a study comparing the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. using five key metrics: number of fatalities in fatal accidents, total accidents, accidents involving drunk drivers, accidents involving distracted drivers, and accidents due to speeding, per 100,000 inhabitants. This analysis helped identify the cities where drivers exhibit the most dangerous behaviors for public safety.

Within the shared information, the cities with the most dangerous drivers were revealed, along with additional data such as the fact that 3 of the 15 cities with the worst drivers are in Texas, namely Dallas, Fort Worth, and San Antonio. Conversely, 3 of the 10 cities with the best drivers are in California: San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego.

Cities with the Worst Drivers in the United States

The list of cities with the worst drivers, according to the analysis shared by Forbes Advisor, is as follows:

1. Albuquerque, New Mexico

With a score of 100 in the metrics, Albuquerque, New Mexico, takes the spot as the most dangerous city in the United States to drive, with a high number of incidents of fatal car accidents, drunk drivers, and distracted drivers. Albuquerque records the highest number of fatal accidents involving a distracted driver, with 5.42 per 100,000 inhabitants of the city.

2. Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis closely follows Albuquerque in terms of dangerous driving behavior, with a score of 98.51 in the metrics. Memphis has the highest number of fatal accidents, with 24.18 per 100,000 inhabitants, as well as the highest number of fatal accidents involving a drunk driver.

3. Detroit, Michigan

With a score of 94.97, Detroit ranks third on the list. This city has a high number of fatalities in traffic accidents, with 21.47 fatalities in fatal collisions per 100,000 inhabitants of the city, according to Forbes Advisor’s analysis.

4. Tucson, Arizona

Tucson ranks fourth with a score of 93.02. Tucson’s roads have a high incidence of dangerous drivers, as the city ranks fourth in both the total number of fatal traffic accidents and the number of fatalities in those accidents.

5. Kansas City, Missouri

Of all the cities analyzed, Kansas City records the highest number of fatal accidents due to speeding, with 7.07 per 100,000 inhabitants. It ranks fifth with a score of 91.19.

6. Dallas, Texas

Dallas, with a score very close to Kansas City’s, ranks sixth on the list with 90.97. This city ranks third in the number of fatal accidents involving a drunk driver and seventh in the total number of fatal traffic accidents.

The list continues with four other cities completing the total of the 10 cities with the worst drivers in the United States. The rest of the Forbes Advisor list is as follows:

7. Louisville, Kentucky: 83.88 out of 100
8. Phoenix, Arizona: 80.65 out of 100
9. Fort Worth, Texas: 78.03 out of 100
10. Tampa, Florida: 77.13 out of 100