In what should come as no surprise to anyone who braves the city’s streets, Tampa boasts some of the worst drivers in the country.
That’s according to a recent study by Forbes, which based its rankings on five key metrics per 100,000 city residents: the number of fatal car accidents; the number of fatal crashes involving a drunk driver; the number deadly car wrecks involving a distracted driver; the number of fatal car accidents involving speeding; and the number of people killed in fatal crashes.
The study looked at the 50 biggest cities in the U.S., and the data supporting the grades were pulled from stats compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Tampa ranked 10th overall.
Tampa recorded the eighth-highest total number of fatal car accidents, had the ninth-highest number of people killed in fatal crashes, and the 14th-highest number of fatal car wrecks involving a distracted driver, Forbes reported.
Jacksonville was the only other Florida city in the mix, which finished in 14th place.
Albuquerque “is the most dangerous city in America to drive in,” Forbes noted. The city finished at least sixth or higher in all five categories of risky driving.
Memphis, Detroit, Tucson, and Kansas City, respectively, rounded out the top five.
Forbes connected the outcome to car insurance rates.
“Your behavior behind the wheel directly impacts how much you pay for car insurance. Insurance companies carefully analyze data on your accident rates, traffic violations, and claims history to determine your risk level and calculate your premium,” the outlet noted.
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“More dangerous driving leads to increased risk and higher insurance rates. Getting speeding tickets, running red lights, texting while driving, and other reckless behaviors all raise your chances of accidents and damage claims. This makes you a greater liability in the eyes of insurers.”
Roughly 117 people in America die each day in car accidents. That’s one car accident fatality every 12 minutes.
“A car accident might only last a few moments, but the financial aftermath can stick with you for years,” Jason Metz, an insurance analyst. “The national average car insurance rate increase is 45% after an accident with property damage, and 47% for causing an accident that results in injuries.”
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