In this article, we will take a look at the 20 cities where you're most likely to get in a car accident. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to the 5 Cities Where You're Most Likely To Get In A Car Accident.
Car accidents are an unfortunate occurrence. According to the report Traffic Safety Facts 2021, the latest available version, by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), fatal traffic crashes in the United States increased by 9.9% from 2020 to 2021, with a corresponding rise in the traffic fatality rate to 1.37 fatalities per 100 million Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in 2021. Similarly, the injury rate saw a 1.3% increase in the same period to 80 people injured per 100 million VMT.
In 2021, there were 6.1 million police-reported motor vehicle traffic crashes. 1.7 million of the total crashes resulted in injury and 9,508 resulted in fatalities. Car accidents have significant financial implications alongside the trauma of the incident. Good car insurance can help lessen some of the financial blow caused by a crash. You can also read about the 15 Best Auto Insurance Companies Heading into 2024.
US Auto Insurance Market: Latest Trends
According to a report by McKinsey, the US auto insurance market was valued at $260 billion in 2021 in terms of the value of direct written premiums. The market is expected to reach $390 billion by 2030. During the forecasted period, two-thirds of the market is estimated to stay relatively stable with L0 or L1 vehicles requiring traditional insurance. L0 vehicles have no automation whereas L1 vehicles have some degree of driver assistance. However, the remaining third will face substantial changes mainly because of the rapid adoption of EVs and road safety technologies.
EVs and the latest road safety technologies are poised to decrease accidents, reducing premiums by up to 10%. Almost $26 billion reduction in premiums is expected during the forecasted period. The rising popularity of shared mobility will also lower the distance traveled, further impacting premiums. The changing industry landscape is predicted to surge the demand for new personal lines insurance products. Personal lines coverage refers to insurance policies that provide coverage for individuals and their assets.
Almost 25% of premiums will still require personal-lines coverage even after the adoption of the latest technologies. However, innovation in the different distribution, product, pricing, and claims approaches would be necessary to keep up with the customer demand. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) could play a significant role by influencing access to customers and requiring OEM-certified repairs. Another expected shift with be in liability to commercial-lines products as autonomous L3 vehicles become more common. Almost 1% or $5 billion of premiums annually will shift to commercial insurance. Liability will move from human drivers to OEMs and autonomous vehicle software providers as these systems take on more responsibility.
Notable Names In Auto Insurance Industry
The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR), The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV), and The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) are some of the most notable companies in the auto insurance industry. You can also check out the 15 Best Known Car Insurance Companies Heading into 2024.
The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) is a well-known US-based insurance company that offers a wide range of insurance products including auto insurance. On January 29, The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) announced the rebranding of its large fleet commercial line (CL) coverage to Progressive Fleet & Specialty Programs (Progressive Fleet). This change follows the acquisition of Protective Insurance Corporation in 2021 and aims to better reflect the company's expanded expertise in transportation insurance. The move aligns with the company's strategy to offer a comprehensive suite of capabilities in the transportation market. Progressive Fleet aims to maintain the commitment to customer service and quality coverage, now under the nationally recognized Progressive brand.
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV) is a prominent insurance firm headquartered in New York, USA. The company offers a variety of insurance solutions including auto insurance which encompasses liabilities, coverage for uninsured and underinsured motorists, collision protection, and safeguarding against damages due to theft, vandalism, animals, or natural disasters. On January 2, the Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV) announced the completion of the acquisition of Corvus Insurance Holdings, Inc. The acquisition would enable the company to enhance its cyber security capabilities as Corvus is recognized for its integrated suite of cyber sales, underwriting, and support services, which aim to identify vulnerabilities and reduce customers' exposure to cyber events. The acquisition was funded internally by The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRV).
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is a noteworthy car insurance company based in Illinois. The company offers home insurance, auto insurance, and life insurance. On February 7, the company reported earnings for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2023. The company reported an EPS of $5.82, beating estimates by $1.88. The company's revenue for the quarter grew by 7.93% and amounted to $14.83 billion, ahead of market consensus by $1.52 billion. As of March 5, The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) has surged nearly 46.35% over the past six months. Here are some comments from the company's earnings call:
"Revenues of $14.8 billion in the fourth quarter increased by 8.7%. That reflects a 10.7% increase in Property-Liability earned premium and that was due to rate increases in 2022 and — mostly in 2022, and in 2023 in both the auto and homeowners’ insurances. Net investment income in the quarter was $604 million, an 8.4% increase, reflecting higher fixed-income yields and duration extension, which is partially offset by lower performance-based income. The strong profitability in the quarter generated adjusted net income of $1.5 billion or $5.82 per diluted share. Annual revenues of $57 billion were up $5.7 billion or 11.1% over the prior year. Strong fourth-quarter earnings resulted in positive adjusted net income for the year. "
Precautions and following road safety rules can help improve the risks of road accidents. The location can also impact the probability of incidents as some cities have higher rates of crashes. We have made a list of the cities where you are most likely to get in a car accident.
20 Cities Where You're Most Likely To Get In A Car Accident
20 Cities Where You're Most Likely To Get In A Car Accident
Our Methodology
To make our list of the cities where you are most likely to get in a car accident, we have extracted our data from the report Traffic Safety Facts 2021 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The report provides comprehensive statistics on motor vehicle traffic crashes across the United States. We have used the fatality rate per 100,000 population as our metric to find the names of the cities and arrange our list. The rationale for using this metric was that car accidents can be influenced by many factors including traffic safety measures, driving behavior, population density, and awareness efforts, all of which may correlate with the fatality rate per 100,000 population by road accidents. The latest available data was for 2021. We have arranged our list in ascending order of fatality rates.
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20 Cities Where You're Most Likely To Get In A Car Accident
20. New Orleans
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 18.04
Car accidents in New Orleans have been a significant concern, with various incidents being reported every year. In 2021, New Orleans had 68 fatalities caused by road accidents. The recorded population of the city in 2021 was 376,971 and the fatality rate per 100,000 people was 18.04.
19. Palmdale
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 18.1
Palmdale is one of the cities you are most likely to get in a car accident. In 2021, the city had a population of 165,761. The fatality rate per 100,000 people by fatal crashes was 18.1. The alarmingly high rate corresponded with 30 deaths in that year.
18. Chattanooga
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 18.12
Chattanooga is a city in Tennessee. In 2021, 33 people died in fatal car crashes and the overall fatality rate per 100,000 people was 18.12. The population of the city in 2021 was 182,113.
17. Jacksonville
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 18.86
Jacksonville is one of the cities where you are most likely to get in a car accident. In 2021, the population of the city was 954,614 and the fatality rate by car crashes per 100,000 people was 18.86. 180 died in car crashes in 2021 out of which 41 were pedestrians.
16. Augusta-Richmond Co.
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 18.89
Augusta-Richmond Co. is a city in Georgia and a population of 201,196 in 2021. 38 people in the city died because of car accidents. The high casualty rates highlight the significance of following traffic rules and taking prompt road safety measures.
15. Tulsa
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 19.69
Tulsa is located in Oklahoma and is one of the cities you are most likely to get in a car accident. The city had a population of 411,401 in 2021 and 81 reported deaths because of car crashes. The fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2021 in Tulsa was 19.69.
14. Cleveland
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 19.84
In 2021, Cleveland had a population of 367,991. The city had a fatality rate of 19.84 per 100,000 population. 73 people died in fatal crashes during that year. The frequency of accidents underscores the importance of road safety measures to prevent further tragedies.
13. Glendale
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 20.03
Glendale has a high frequency of road accidents. In 2021, 50 people died in fatal crashes in the city. The city had a population of 249,630 in 2021 and the fatality rate per 100,000 population was 20.03. Distracted driving behavior including texting, drunk driving, and speeding are some of the main causes of road accidents.
12. Tampa
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 20.41
Car accidents are an unfortunate occurrence and some cities are more prone to them than others. Tampa is one of the US cities where you are most likely to get in a car accident. In 2021, the city had a population of only 387,050 and the number of fatalities caused by car accidents was 79. The fatality rate per 100,000 population in 2021 was 20.41.
11. Atlanta
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 20.55
Atlanta is one of the US cities with a relatively high rate of fatal car accidents. In 2021, the total population of the city was 496,461. The fatality rate per 100,000 population was 20.55. 102 people died in fatal crashes in Atlanta in 2021.
10. Tucson
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 20.99
Tucson is one of the cities in the US where you are most likely to get in a car accident. In 2021, the fatality rate per 100,000 population was 20.99 whereas the population of the city was 543,242. 114 people in Tucson died as a result of car crashes during that year. The high fatality rates caused by car accidents highlight the significance of taking proper road safety measures.
9. Albuquerque
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 23.64
Albuquerque had a population of 562,599 in 2021. The city is unfortunately relatively more prone to road accidents compared to other cities in the US. In 2021, the fatality rate per 100,000 population for the city was 23.64. 133 people lost their lives in road accidents during that year.
8. Detroit
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 23.72
Detroit is one of the cities most prone to road accidents in the US. Drunk driving, speeding, and poor weather conditions are some of the main reasons for the accidents in the city. In 2021, the city had a population of 632,464 with a fatality rate of 23.72 per 100,000 population.
7. Birmingham
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 23.79
Birmingham is one of the cities where you are most likely to get in a car accident. In 2021, the population of the city was 197,575 and the fatality rate per 100,000 population was 23.79. The total number of people killed in road accidents was 47.
6. St. Louis
Fatality Rate per 100,000 Population In 2021: 24.21
St. Louis had a population of 293,310 in 2021. The fatality rate per 100,000 population in the city was 24.21. 71 were killed in road accidents in 2021, resulting in a high fatality rate. Proper road safety measures could help improve the road safety situation.