Kansas City had a very strong showing in the most recent report on “America’s Best Drivers” from Allstate Insurance Company. The report ranks Kansas City, Missouri sixteenth out of two hundred of the most populous cities in the U.S. Several other towns in the greater Kansas City area also received high rankings from Allstate. The study, now in its eighth year, relied on Allstate’s own actuarial data regarding automobile collisions. While it does not purport to be a comprehensive, scientifically-supported survey, it provides a helpful guide to cities where further work on traffic safety may be needed.
The “Best Drivers” reports ranks cities based on the length of time the average driver is likely to go between car collisions, and the difference between the likelihood of a collision in a given city and the national average. Researchers examined data from collision claims made to Allstate, which reportedly covers about ten percent of all automobile insurance policies nationwide. They covered a period from January 2009 through December 2010 in an effort to eliminate temporary factors such as weather.
The report has found over the years that smaller cities tend to rank higher on the “Best Drivers” list than big cities. The top fifty-two cities in the report have populations of less than one million people, and most of them have significantly smaller populations than that. Phoenix, Arizona, in 53rd place, has the “best drivers” of the very large cities. Larger cities, Allstate reports, present different challenges for drivers, including more traffic, a wider variety of roads and road conditions, and additional noise or other distractions. Larger cities with significant sprawl also keep drivers in their cars longer, increasing the odds of an accident.
Allstate’s report includes three Missouri cities: Kansas City, Springfield, and St. Louis. It also includes Kansas City, Kansas; Olathe; and Overland Park. With the exception of St. Louis, Allstate ranked all of these cities in the top thirty of its “Best Drivers” list. Springfield ranked tenth, with an average of 12.1 years between accidents for drivers, and a likelihood of a collision 17.4% below the national average. Kansas City, Missouri ranked sixteenth, with 11.7 years and a likelihood 14.6% below the national average. The rankings for the three Kansas cities reflected well on the greater Kansas City area:
– Kansas City, KS: 21st place, 11.6 years, 13.7% below national average
– Olathe, KS: 14th place, 11.8 years, 15.2% below national average
– Overland Park, KS: 29th place, 11.3 years, 11.4% below national average.
In contrast to Kansas City’s strong showing, Washington, DC and some of its surrounding cities placed at the very bottom of AllState’s list. A Washington Post writer maintains that Kansas City has some of the worst drivers in the country. Whether he is correct or not, drivers in Kansas City should take care to drive as safely as possible. The report does not attempt to identify the reasons why certain cities have lower instances of auto collisions than other cities. It does identify, however, steps that drivers can take to avoid accidents. Knowledge of traffic rules, general alertness, adherence to the speed limit, and getting directions are all important.
Auto accident attorney Doug Horn is an advocate for safe driving in the greater Kansas City area. He represents the rights of people who have suffered injuries or lost loved ones due to the negligent or illegal conduct of others. Contact us today online or at (816) 795-7500 to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
