Whether you're a passenger or behind the wheel, riding in a car is something you likely do everyday, or at least close to it. And while the convenience and personal freedom offered by automobiles is more than likely an irreplaceable aspect of your daily life, there's no arguing that driving can be dangerous. In fact, in 2020, a year in which people spent far less time in cars than usual because of the pandemic, an estimated 38,680 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). But where in the U.S. do the most car accidents occur?
To find out, Best Life consulted a recent study by auto insurance comparison website Insurify. The company's data science team analyzed their database of over 1.6 million car insurance applications—which include driver history, vehicle, and personal information like whether or not they have any at-fault accident on their record from the past seven years—to determine the community in each state with the most accident-prone drivers. This share of car owners was then analyzed against the city’s drivers as a whole to determine the percentage of past offenders by city.
The team also used their database to calculate the average rate of driving under the influence (DUI) violations in each city, and consulted City-Data to determine the amount of time drivers in each city spend commuting to work each day. Read on to discover the city with the most car accidents in the U.S.
RELATED: This State Has the Deadliest Drivers in the U.S., According to Data.
20 | Charlotte, North Carolina
iStockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 14.36 percent
In addition to 14.36 percent of drivers in Charlotte having an at-fault accident on their record in the last seven years, 1.67 percent have a DUI. Also, on average, drivers in the North Carolina city spend an average of 23.7 minutes commuting to work each day.
19 | Washington, D.C.
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 14.59 percent
Washington, D.C. drivers spend an average of 29 minutes commuting to work each day and have a DUI rate of 0.74 percent, the second lowest of all the cities on this list.
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18 | Fayetteville, Arkansas
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 14.68 percent
Not only do drivers in Fayetteville, Arkansas get in more accidents than those in any other city in the state, but they also have a DUI rate of 4.17 percent, which is the third highest of all the cities on this list. Interestingly, at 17.9 minutes, Fayetteville drivers spend the least amount of time commuting to work compared with the the rest of the ranked locations.
17 | Lincoln, Nebraska
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.12 percent
Lincoln, Nebraska has similar numbers to Fayetteville, Arkansas, just slightly higher. Its at-fault accident rate, DUI rate, and average commute time are 15.12 percent, 4.49 percent (the highest on this list), and 18.3 minutes, respectively.
16 | Cincinnati, Ohio
iStockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.29 percent
Of the handful of major cities in Ohio, Cincinnati is both its largest and most precarious to drive in. Drivers spend about 21.6 minutes commuting to work everyday, and while the at-fault accident rate is slightly higher than the one in fellow Midwestern city Lincoln, Nebraska, at 1.61 percent, the DUI rate in Cincinnati is much lower than the one in Lincoln.
15 | Pensacola, Florida
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.58 percent
For being located in a state that has a comparatively lax open container law, Pensacola has a remarkably low DUI rate, according to the Insurify study. In fact, at 0.68 percent, Pensacola has the lowest DUI rate of any city ranked on this list.
14 | Fort Wayne, Indiana
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.59 percent
As the third and final Midwest city on this list, at 15.59 percent, Fort Wayne, Indiana has the highest at-fault accident rate of the three heartland metro areas. In addition, Fort Wayne has a DUI rate of 3.29 percent and an average daily commute time of 19.8 minutes.
13 | Littleton, Colorado
Jim Lambert / Shutterstock.comDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.74 percent
In addition to 15.74 percent of drivers in Littleton having an at-fault accident on their record in the last seven years, 3.6 percent have a DUI. Also, on average, drivers in the Colorado city spend an average of 23.3 minutes commuting to work each day.
12 | Murfreesboro, Tennessee
iStockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.76 percent
Murfreesboro, Tennessee falls right in the middle of the pack on nearly all metrics. In addition to a 15.76 percent at-fault accident rate, the Southern city's drivers have a DUI rate of 1.85 percent and an average commute time of 25.3 minutes.
11 | Pawtucket, Rhode Island
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.82 percent
Pawtucket drivers stand out on this list with their 0.82 percent DUI rate, the third lowest of the 20 cities ranked. The Northeast city also has an at-fault accident rate and average commute time of 15.82 percent and 24.8 minutes, respectively.
10 | West Jordan, Utah
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 15.88 percent
At 15.88 percent, West Jordan, Utah has the tenth highest at-fault accident rate in the country. Along with that, the city has a 1.69 percent DUI rate and a 22-minute average commute time.
9 | Everett, Washington
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 16.28 percent
Everett, Washington has an at-fault accident rate of 16.28 percent over the last seven years and a relatively low DUI rate of 1.86 percent compared with some other cities on this list. The Northwestern city also has the fifth-longest average commute time at 28.9 minutes.
8 | Woodstock, Georgia
Animas Photography / Shutterstock.comDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 16.32 percent
Along with the eighth-highest at-fault accident rate, Woodstock, Georgia has the second-longest average commute time at 35 minutes. The DUI rate in the city is 2.41 percent.
7 | Gresham, Oregon
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 16.35 percent
According to the Insurify study, over the last seven years, 16.35 percent of drivers in Gresham, Oregon have at least one at-fault accident on their record. In addition, the city has a DUI rate of 2.69 percent and an average daily commute time of 27.3 minutes.
6 | Buffalo, New York
iStockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 16.42 percent
Though Buffalo, New York has the sixth-highest at-fault accident rate, the DUI rate and average commute time are comparatively fairly low. Those numbers are 1.3 percent and 20.9 minutes, respectively.
RELATED: This Is the Deadliest Car in the U.S., According to Data.
5 | Roseville, California
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 16.44 percent
Roseville, California not only has the fifth-highest at-fault accident rate, but the DUI rate in the city (4.3 percent) is the second highest of all 20 cities ranked. In addition, the average commute time in Roseville is 22.7 minutes.
4 | Woodbridge, Virginia
Shutterstock/refrinaDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 17.24 percent
Woodbridge is the first of four cities on this list where the at-fault accident rate exceeds 17 percent. The DUI rate is 1.9 percent and the average commute time is 37.5 minutes, the longest of all 20 cities.
3 | Frisco, Texas
ShutterstockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 17.25 percent
Frisco, Texas has an accident rate just a hair above that of Woodbridge, Virginia. The DUI rate in Frisco (2.25 percent) is also higher than Woodbridge's, but the average commute time of 27.9 minutes is lower in the Texas town.
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2 | Silver Spring, Maryland
DenisTangneyJr / iStockDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 17.50 percent
Silver Spring, Maryland has the second-highest accident rate and the third-highest average commute time on this list, however the DUI rate in the town is on the lower side compared with many other cities ranked. The numbers in Silver Spring are 17.5 percent, 34.3 minutes, and 1.27 percent, respectively.
1 | Johns Island, South Carolina
Cvandyke / Shutterstock.comDrivers with prior at-fault accident: 20.42 percent
At nearly three percent greater than the one in Silver Spring, the at-fault accident rate in Johns Island, South Carolina is the highest of any city in the country. The DUI rate, however, is on the lower side at 1.3 percent, and the average daily commute time is 26.8 minutes.
RELATED: This Is the Deadliest Road in America, According to Data.
