MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Hate driving in Seattle? A new study shows the opposite of what you might think

Jul 10, 2024, 2:20 PM | Updated: 2:21 pm

Photo: Seattle drivers are among the elite when it comes to safe driving habits....

Seattle drivers are among the elite when it comes to safe driving habits. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)

There are endless stories about how bad the drivers are here, but a new report suggests you had better stick to Seattle roads.

The Emerald City has once again made its mark in the annual America’s Best Drivers Report by Allstate. Seattle secured an impressive third place overall, demonstrating commendable driving behavior.

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Allstate, a major insurance company, analyzed driving habits across the 100 most populous urban areas. Their criteria included factors such as speeding, hard braking and phone handling. Seattle drivers stood out for their responsible conduct on the roads, contributing to the city’s high ranking.

Honolulu takes the crown for safest drivers

According to USA Today, the report revealed that Honolulu boasts the safest drivers in the entire country. Meanwhile, Albuquerque, New Mexico, emerged as the riskiest city for driving. These findings underscore the importance of safe driving practices in preventing accidents and saving lives.

“Speeding, distracted, and impaired driving cause tens of thousands of preventable deaths on U.S. roads each year,” Katie Irey, Senior Vice President at Allstate told USA Today.

The insurer’s usage-based insurance data aims to educate the public about risky behaviors, including phone use, speeding and hard braking.

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For the first time, Allstate leveraged anonymized connected driving data from their mobility partner, Arity, to rank urban areas based on driving behavior. Arity powers the optional safe-driving features in Allstate’s mobile Drivewise app.

Seattle joins the elite Top Five

Seattle shares its spot in the top five with other safety-conscious cities: Minneapolis, Portland (Oregon) and Virginia Beach. These cities prioritize responsible driving, contributing to safer roads nationwide.

On the flip side, Baton Rouge (Louisiana), Murrieta/Temecula/Menifee (California), Fresno, and Stockton (California) were identified as the riskiest cities for drivers.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here. 

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Hate driving in Seattle? A new study shows the opposite of what you might think