U.S. Cities With The Highest Collision Rates - OHS Body Shop

When you go on a road trip with your family, visit relatives in a different state or have to travel for business, it sometimes seems that you have somehow teleported abroad and people around you are driving according to some different traffic rules.

Indeed, NHTSA statistics show that people do seem to drive differently in different states and even towns, and therefore some places have “won” the title of most accident-prone places in the country.

Does it mean that you should avoid that town and state when you plan your next trip? Not really. In this article, we shall try to understand why some areas of the United States have significantly higher collision rates and what you should focus on if you visit or live in one of those places.

Cities with the most car accidents

There are many parameters that are used to determine the collision rates of different cities. The average time between collisions for an average driver, the comparison of collision frequency in the city to the overall nationwide statistics, hard-breaking events per 1,000 miles, etc.

Here are the 5 U.S. cities that lead these gruesome statistics in the United States:

  • Baltimore, MD;
  • Washington, DC;
  • Boston, MA;
  • Worcester, MA;
  • Glendale, CA.

Baltimore, MD, appears to be the country’s most dangerous place for drivers, with over 152% collision likelihood compared to the Nation’s Average, less than 5 years between accidents, and over 30 hard-breaking events per 1,000 miles.

Experts analyzed the condition of the roads, precipitation rates, population density, city’s architecture, and infrastructure to understand what may be a reason for Baltimore’s leadership in the collisions rate. According to the overall data, the city does not really have any outstanding parameters that would affect the road situation so dangerously.

Does it mean that Baltimore drivers are most likely to be blamed for the situation?

Why do accidents happen more often in certain areas?

According to recent research from IIHS, rural areas and cities with the lowest population density appear to be the places with the lowest collision rates but the highest traffic fatalities.

It means that in the urban areas like Baltimore, MD, or Washington, DC, you are most likely to get into a car accident, but the chances of someone getting badly injured or killed in those accidents are much lower there than in rural areas.

It happens due to several factors:

  • Wearing seatbelt – in most cases, whether a person was or was not wearing a seatbelt determines the outcome of an accident. Statistically, people tend to neglect seatbelts in rural areas;
  • Speeding – you will naturally want to hit the gar on an empty highway rather than a city street equipped with speed traps and patrolled by police 24/7;
  • Traffic lights and signs – when you drive for a long time and don’t have to pay attention to road signs or observe traffic lights, you may naturally lose concentration on the road;
  • Car maintenance – unfortunately, people who live in rural areas seem to be more neglectful to their cars’ routine maintenance, while those who drive in the cities feel more pressurized to look after their vehicles.

Those parameters are the main reason why while only 19% of Americans live in rural areas, they appear to have the highest traffic mortality rates.

But how does it explain the Baltimore, MD collision rate phenomenon? Experts point out that collisions in the city mostly happen in the busy city center. Moreover, the reason for the car accidents in the city is mainly distracted driving (using smartphones during driving). It is also important to point out that most drivers who got into or caused accidents in Baltimore, MD, during the past 5 years belong to the so-called “extreme age group” – drivers under 17. By the way, the general statistic is the same nationwide.

Did you get into an accident or want to make sure that your vehicle is safe to drive? Contact OHS Body Shop today and get a thorough consultation and service from the most qualified mechanics in Montana’s Great Flathead Valley. Our branches are located in Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Polson. Pay a visit today to make sure that you won’t become a part of the gruesome collision statistics tomorrow.