10 cities with the worst drivers

LA tops The Zebra's list of America's riskiest cities to drive.

By Susan Meyer

Updated February 20, 2024

Reviewed By Ross Martin

Table of contents:

Cities 1 - 3
Cities 4 - 6
Cities 7 - 10

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Driving-related fatalities have been declining in the U.S. after some big spikes. However, it's still true that nearly 20,000 people die in car accidents in the U.S. each year^[1]. But not all areas face the same level of risk because not everywhere has the same drivers. In fact, location makes a huge difference when it comes to traffic safety as well as auto insurance rates. The Zebra set out to find the destinations with the worst drivers by analyzing the 50 most populous cities in the U.S. using five data points:

Likelihood of collision: The percentage refers to the chance of a crash compared to the national average.
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities: The number of fatalities per 100,000 people by state.
Speeding-related fatalities by state: This statistic was tracked over a nine-year period from 2012-2021.
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI and reckless driving: Pulled from Zebra data, this indicates how harshly premiums are affected after specific violations.

Here are the top 10 cities with the worst drivers in the country.

#1: Los Angeles, California

Traffic in Los Angeles is notoriously congested, which may be why it contributes to California's high collision rate. It's 82% higher than the national average. Speeding-related fatalities are in the top five out of the states we surveyed. On the plus side, however, alcohol-related fatalities are below average. This may be due to the steep car insurance increase for those with DUIs and reckless driving infractions. Each one causes an annual increase of more than $4,000.

Los Angeles by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 82%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $4,418
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $4,139

#2: New Orleans, Louisiana

The celebratory atmosphere of New Orleans is part of why so many people love it. But Louisiana has one of the highest rates of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the country, totaling 4.5 per 100,000 individuals. Getting a DUI on your record results in an average $3,858 increase in your annual car insurance premium. Speeding is less of an issue in Louisiana, however, which ranks below average for fatalities compared to the rest of our list.

New Orleans by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 49.10%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 4.5
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 281
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,858
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $3,356

#3: San Francisco, California

The chance of getting in a car collision in San Francisco is 55.6% greater than in the country as a whole. However, speed is the bigger issue than alcohol in the state of California. In San Francisco, you'll experience some of the most expensive annual premium increases with violations on your record: it jumps an average of $3,647 after a DUI and $3,441 after reckless driving.

San Fransisco by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 55.6%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,647
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $3,441

#4: Sacramento, California

Like the other California cities on our list, Sacramento residents are subject to a higher rate of speeding related fatalities than most other states. However, the overall rate of collision in Sacramento places just 15th on our list. Expect heftier premiums after a driving infraction; reckless driving will jump your costs over $3,200 — one of the highest increases in the country.

Sacramento by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 40%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,453
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $3,234

#5: San Jose, California

California's driving fatalities, especially for speeding, help propel San Jose onto our list of cities with the worst drivers. But the city also has a likelihood of collision that is nearly 45% more than the national average. And if you get a reckless driving or DUI violation on your driving record, expect your car insurance premiums to jump between $2,900 and $3,100 each year.

San Jose by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 44.7%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,106
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $2,900

#6: San Bernardino/Riverside, California

The San Bernardino and Riverside MSA is yet another California area on our list. The likelihood of collision is actually average compared to the other cities on our list, but still well above the national average by more than 28%. On top of that, car insurance premiums rise between $3,219 and $3,456 after reckless driving and DUI infractions, respectively.

San Bernardino/Riverside by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 28.2%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,456
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $3,219

#7: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia may be the City of Brotherly Love, but it unfortunately is also home to one of the highest collision rates in the country. The likelihood of getting in an accident is a whopping 67%. Alcohol-related fatalities in Pennsylvania, however, are among the lowest of those we surveyed. That's good news considering the average car insurance premium increase after a DUI in Philly is nearly $3,200.

Philadelphia by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 67%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.5
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 500
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $3,191
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $2,606

#8: Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte drivers have a 36% higher chance of getting into an accident compared to the nation as a whole, and a part of the problem may involve driving under the influence. Alcohol-impaired fatalities in the state total 4.1 per 100,000 people. But in Charlotte, this violation isn't taken lightly. The average jump in car insurance is $4,479 per year after a DUI. Reckless driving, on the other hand, only increases the average premium by $1290.

Charlotte by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 36%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 4.1
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 478
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $4,479
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $1,290

#9: Detroit, Michigan (tied)

Detroit, Michigan ties for ninth place in the final slot of our survey. The likelihood of collision and fatalities caused by speeding and alcohol impairment all sit in the middle of the cities we analyzed. But Detroit drivers have good incentive to keep those numbers in check: the city has the highest price increases for car insurance after DUIs and reckless driving. You'll see an average increase of $8,798 for a DUI and $8,631 for reckless driving.

Detroit by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 22.9%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 3.1
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 321
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $8,798
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $8,631

#9: San Diego, California (tied)

San Diego ties with Detroit for ninth place on our list of cities with the worst drivers. As we've seen, California has a high rate of speeding-related fatalities. On top of that, San Diego drivers face a 24.7% greater likelihood of collision than those in other cities. While insurance premium increases aren't anywhere near as high as Detroit, you'll still see increases close to $3,000 after a DUI or reckless driving violation.

San Diego by the numbers

Likelihood of collision: 24.7%
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state (per 100k people): 2.8
Speeding-related fatalities by state (2012-2021): 1,509
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI: $2,987
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after reckless driving: $2,777

Want to learn more about how accidents and violations affect your insurance? Check out our guides:

Methodology

The Zebra pulled five data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs (by population) in the U.S. related to driving and car insurance:

Likelihood of collision^[2]
Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities by state^[3]
Speeding-related fatalities by state^[4]
Annual increase in auto insurance premium after DUI and reckless driving

MSA data was used where applicable, and we sometimes substituted city or state data as necessary.

Sources