Revealing the safest and riskiest driving cities

Aerial shot of a six-lane highway with cars and trucks driving in both directions.

2026 America's Best Drivers Report®

Key points

  • For the second straight year, Brownsville, Texas, ranks as the safest city, with drivers going nearly 15 years between collisions. Boston remains the most collision-prone at just 3.76 years. Drivers in the safest cities are nearly four times less likely to experience a crash.
  • Waco, Texas, made the largest improvement year over year (+40 spots), while Detroit saw the steepest decline (-38 spots). About one-third of cities moved 10 spots or more and three new cities entered the top or bottom 10, showing how changing traffic patterns and behavior impact risk.
  • New insights from Drivewise® show how habits like speeding, hard braking, phone use and nighttime driving influence risk across the country. These are behaviors drivers can control to lower their chances of a crash and help avoid the out-of-pocket and insurance costs that often follow.

Drivers in the safest U.S. cities can go years longer between collisions, reducing risk and helping keep insurance costs more manageable, according to Allstate's 2026 America's Best Drivers Report. The report highlights how location and everyday driving habits influence both safety and, in turn, the costs drivers may ultimately face.

Texas again has multiple cities among the safest drivers in the nation, while Massachusetts cities including Boston, Worcester and Springfield rank highest for crash risk. The report answers a key question for drivers: How likely am I to experience a crash where I live, and how can I reduce my risk?

Now in its 18th year, the report ranks the 200 largest U.S. cities based on auto insurance claims data and includes insights from Drivewise, available in the Allstate app. Drivewise provides feedback on behaviors such as speeding, braking and phone use to help drivers improve how they drive.

Together, the data shows how often crashes occur and highlights behaviors that increase risk, giving drivers actionable ways to stay safer, avoid the costs associated with collisions and help lower their insurance costs over time.

Laura Hoffman, vice president of auto design and telematics at Allstate explains…

"Where you drive plays a role in your risk, but how and when you drive matters just as much. By pairing claims data with driving insights such as speeding, hard braking and phone use from Allstate's Drivewise, we're helping drivers take simple steps to prevent crashes and keep insurance costs down."

The 10 safest cities for drivers

From the 2026 report, these are the top 10 cities with the safest drivers (based on Allstate claims data and the highest average years between collisions):

  1. Brownsville, TX
  2. Fort Collins, CO
  3. Boise, ID
  4. Laredo, TX
  5. Cary, NC
  6. Madison, WI
  7. McAllen, TX (New to top 10)
  8. Colorado Springs, CO (New to top 10)
  9. Eugene, OR
  10. Olathe, KS

The 10 riskiest cities for drivers

From the 2026 report, these are the top 10 cities with the riskiest drivers (based on Allstate claims data and the lowest average years between collisions):

  1. Boston, MA
  2. Washington, DC
  3. Baltimore, MD
  4. Worcester, MA
  5. Springfield, MA
  6. Glendale, CA
  7. Providence, RI
  8. Sunrise Manor, NV (New to top 10)
  9. Los Angeles, CA
  10. Philadelphia, PA

Where are the safest and most collision-prone cities?

For the second straight year, Brownsville, Texas, ranks as the safest city, with drivers going nearly 15 years between collisions, while Boston remains the most collision-prone, with drivers averaging 3.76 years between collisions. Boston drivers are 189% more likely to experience a collision than the national average, which can lead to higher costs, including repairs and insurance prices.

Texas and Colorado cities lead the best drivers list, with McAllen, Texas, and Colorado Springs, Colorado, entering the top 10. The Northeast is home to seven of the 10 riskiest cities, including Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia, with Sunrise Manor, Nevada, joining this year.

  • Big swings in rankings show how quickly positions can change. Waco, Texas, climbed 40 spots year over year, the biggest improvement. Other cities making big gains include Savannah, Georgia (+30), New Orleans, Louisiana (+29), and Kansas City, Kansas (+29).

    Detroit, Michigan, saw the biggest slide, dropping 38 spots. Rockford, Illinois (-34), Arlington, Virginia (-20), Tampa, Florida (-19), and Anchorage, Alaska (-18) also fell, showing how changes in traffic patterns and driving conditions can influence rankings over time.

  • Regional patterns continue to shape the rankings. Georgia cities were among the most improved, with Savannah, Macon and Columbus climbing 20 spots or more. The Midwest saw some of the biggest drops in the rankings, including Omaha (-16), Milwaukee (-15), Chicago (-13) and Indianapolis (-11).

What the data reveals about driver behavior

New insights from Drivewise show how habits like speeding, hard braking, phone use and nighttime driving influence driving risk across the country. Drivewise helps drivers understand these patterns in real time to help lower their chances of a collision and save money.

  • Nighttime driving is highest in Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and New York City. Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia, including Alexandria and Arlington, and the Las Vegas Valley are among the highest for nighttime driving. Nighttime driving can increase risk due to reduced visibility and a higher likelihood of fatigue or impaired driving.
  • Phone use is elevated in major metros. Cities like Miami, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Boston are among the highest for phone use while driving, showing how distraction is more prevalent in dense, urban environments.
  • Speeding varies by market. Bridgeport, Connecticut, has the highest levels of speeding, followed by Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Chicago and three Alabama cities — Mobile, Birmingham and Huntsville. Speeding can reduce driver reaction time and make collisions more severe.
  • Hard braking is most elevated in Arizona and North Carolina. The highest rates of hard braking are in North Carolina and Arizona, with Raleigh, Fayetteville and Durham, North Carolina, and Chandler, Glendale, Tempe, Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona, all among the highest. Hard braking can signal stop-and-go driving or close following, which may increase collision risk.

What tools and protections can help drivers stay safer?

No matter where you live, small changes behind the wheel can reduce crash risk, and Allstate offers tools designed to help drivers understand and improve their driving before a collision happens.

"You don't have to overhaul your driving habits to make a difference," said Hoffman. "Simple steps like slowing down, staying focused and giving yourself space can go a long way in helping reduce risk."

Tools that help drivers stay safer on the road

Allstate's Drivewise gives drivers visibility into their driving behavior and helps them improve over time and recover from a collision by offering:

  • Driving scores in the Allstate app on speed, braking and phone use, with insights after each trip to help drivers identify risky habits and make safer choices on their next drive.
  • Progress tracking that shows trends in driving behavior and helps reinforce safer habits to reduce crash risk, out-of-pocket costs and insurance prices.
  • Crash detection features that can quickly connect drivers to help after a collision, reducing stress and helping speed recovery.

How Allstate helps reduce the financial impact of a crash

Allstate also offers optional features that can help drivers recover more quickly after a crash and reduce the financial strain that can follow. These are part of a broader set of options that give customers more ways to stay protected before and after an incident, including:

  • Accident Forgiveness helps prevent a driver's car insurance rate from increasing just because of an accident. This helps reduce the long-term financial impact of a mistake.
  • Transportation Expense Coverage provides a set amount of money after a covered crash that drivers can use for a rental car, rideshare or other transportation while their vehicle is being repaired.

America's Best Drivers Report: Top 200 Cities

Ranked by Allstate property damage claim frequency, expressed as average years between collisions.

Ranking City Average years between collisions Relative collision likelihood (to national average)* Change in ranking (2025 to 2026)
1 Brownsville, TX 14.99 -27.5% 0
2 Fort Collins, CO 14.96 -27.4% 1
3 Boise, ID 14.07 -22.8% -1
4 Laredo, TX 13.82 -21.4% 1
5 Cary, NC 12.82 -15.2% -1
6 Madison, WI 12.81 -15.2% 3
7 McAllen, TX 12.76 -14.9% 4
8 Colorado Springs, CO 12.68 -14.4% 15
9 Eugene, OR 12.68 -14.3% 1
10 Olathe, KS 12.51 -13.1% -4
11 Port St. Lucie, FL 12.5 -13.1% -3
12 Overland Park, KS 12.45 -12.7% 3
13 Scottsdale, AZ 12.37 -12.2% -6
14 Cape Coral, FL 12.35 -12.0% 0
15 Kansas City, KS 12.29 -11.6% 29
16 Chattanooga, TN 12.21 -11.0% 3
17 Huntsville, AL 12.14 -10.5% -5
18 Gainesville, FL 11.88 -8.5% -2
19 Gilbert, AZ 11.85 -8.3% 2
20 Orlando, FL 11.72 -7.3% 7
21 Tallahassee, FL 11.59 -6.3% 16
22 Amarillo, TX 11.59 -6.3% 6
23 Knoxville, TN 11.58 -6.2% -6
24 Fayetteville, NC 11.52 -5.7% -11
25 Lexington, KY 11.48 -5.4% -1
26 St. Petersburg, FL 11.4 -4.7% -1
27 Lakewood, CO 11.39 -4.6% -5
28 Corpus Christi, TX 11.37 -4.5% -8
29 Chandler, AZ 11.36 -4.4% -3
30 Chesapeake, VA 11.33 -4.1% 3
31 Jacksonville, FL 11.29 -3.8% 0
32 Thornton, CO 11.25 -3.4% -2
33 Lubbock, TX 11.17 -2.7% 12
34 Roseville, CA 11.16 -2.6% -16
35 Winston-Salem, NC 11.11 -2.2% 8
36 Columbus, GA 11.09 -2.0% 22
37 Wichita, KS 11.07 -1.9% 19
38 Pembroke Pines, FL 10.94 -0.7% 14
39 Visalia, CA 10.89 -0.2% 37
40 Fort Lauderdale, FL 10.88 -0.2% 7
41 Birmingham, AL 10.81 +0.5% 14
42 Durham, NC 10.79 +0.7% -2
43 Naperville, IL 10.76 +1.0% -4
44 Lincoln, NE 10.72 +1.4% -2
45 El Paso, TX 10.7 +1.6% -7
46 Greensboro, NC 10.65 +2.0% -12
47 Virginia Beach, VA 10.65 +2.0% -1
48 Mesa, AZ 10.63 +2.2% -13
49 Bellevue, WA 10.62 +2.3% -8
50 Anchorage, AK 10.61 +2.4% -18
51 Tulsa, OK 10.61 +2.4% 19
52 Clarksville, TN 10.6 +2.4% 10
53 Mobile, AL 10.58 +2.7% 12
54 Springfield, MO 10.42 +4.3% -6
55 Aurora, IL 10.41 +4.4% 11
56 Miami, FL 10.4 +4.5% 16
57 Spokane, WA 10.39 +4.5% 16
58 Akron, OH 10.39 +4.6% -1
59 Peoria, AZ 10.37 +4.8% -9
60 Shreveport, LA 10.35 +4.9% -11
61 Montgomery, AL 10.32 +5.3% 0
62 Fort Wayne, IN 10.3 +5.5% -9
63 Salem, OR 10.28 +5.7% -9
64 Oklahoma City, OK 10.19 +6.6% -1
65 Macon, GA 10.16 +6.9% 24
66 Reno, NV 10.13 +7.2% -2
67 Vancouver, WA 10.13 +7.3% -16
68 Raleigh, NC 10.12 +7.3% -8
69 Toledo, OH 10.08 +7.7% 0
70 Rockford, IL 10.05 +8.1% -34
71 Surprise, AZ 10.04 +8.2% -4
72 Waco, TX 10.02 +8.5% 40
73 Hollywood, FL 10.0 +8.7% 9
74 Milwaukee, WI 9.89 +9.8% -15
75 Charleston, SC 9.89 +9.9% 18
76 Salinas, CA 9.87 +10.1% 30
77 Chula Vista, CA 9.77 +11.2% 6
78 Bakersfield, CA 9.76 +11.3% 12
79 Tucson, AZ 9.75 +11.4% -8
80 Killeen, TX 9.73 +11.6% -6
81 Pasadena, TX 9.73 +11.7% -2
82 Hialeah, FL 9.7 +11.9% 5
83 Murfreesboro, TN 9.69 +12.1% -3
84 Albuquerque, NM 9.69 +12.1% 2
85 Oceanside, CA 9.63 +12.8% 19
86 Louisville, KY 9.62 +13.0% -2
87 Tampa, FL 9.59 +13.2% -19
88 Joliet, IL 9.58 +13.4% -10
89 Huntington Beach, CA 9.57 +13.5% 14
90 Honolulu, HI 9.57 +13.6% -15
91 Little Rock, AR 9.56 +13.7% -14
92 Jersey City, NJ 9.48 +14.5% 6
93 Salt Lake City, UT 9.46 +14.8% 1
94 Memphis, TN 9.43 +15.1% -6
95 Newport News, VA 9.42 +15.3% 2
96 Metairie, LA 9.4 +15.5% New addition
97 Augusta, GA 9.4 +15.6% -12
98 Oxnard, CA 9.37 +15.9% -7
99 Rancho Cucamonga, CA 9.34 +16.3% 10
100 Des Moines, IA 9.27 +17.2% 8
101 Denver, CO 9.26 +17.3% 26
102 Seattle, WA 9.23 +17.7% -2
103 Charlotte, NC 9.23 +17.7% -4
104 Elk Grove, CA 9.19 +18.2% -23
105 Corona, CA 9.17 +18.4% 16
106 Denton, TX 9.13 +19.0% 17
107 Portland, OR 9.11 +19.3% -5
108 Kansas City, MO 9.1 +19.4% -7
109 Tempe, AZ 9.09 +19.5% 10
110 Nashville, TN 9.09 +19.5% -3
111 Fremont, CA 9.08 +19.7% 5
112 Omaha, NE 9.03 +20.3% -16
113 Henderson, NV 9.03 +20.3% -21
114 Sunnyvale, CA 9.02 +20.5% 0
115 San Diego, CA 8.99 +20.8% 2
116 McKinney, TX 8.94 +21.5% 2
117 Tacoma, WA 8.89 +22.2% -7
118 Santa Rosa, CA 8.88 +22.3% -7
119 Santa Clarita, CA 8.85 +22.7% 18
120 Fontana, CA 8.83 +23.1% 13
121 Grand Prairie, TX 8.79 +23.6% -8
122 Phoenix, AZ 8.76 +24.1% -7
123 Lehigh Acres, FL 8.73 +24.4% New addition
124 Riverside, CA 8.62 +26.0% 8
125 Plano, TX 8.6 +26.3% -3
126 Cleveland, OH 8.56 +26.8% 20
127 Fresno, CA 8.52 +27.5% 9
128 Savannah, GA 8.52 +27.5% 30
129 Aurora, CO 8.49 +27.9% 1
130 Escondido, CA 8.46 +28.4% -10
131 Sioux Falls, SD 8.46 +28.5% -6
132 Frisco, TX 8.4 +29.3% -37
133 Modesto, CA 8.39 +29.5% 17
134 San Antonio, TX 8.38 +29.6% -5
135 Austin, TX 8.37 +29.8% 0
136 New York, NY 8.37 +29.8% 4
137 Indianapolis, IN 8.33 +30.5% -11
138 Fort Worth, TX 8.31 +30.7% -10
139 New Orleans, LA 8.3 +30.9% 29
140 Pomona, CA 8.29 +31.0% 9
141 Cincinnati, OH 8.29 +31.1% 16
142 Irving, TX 8.28 +31.1% -8
143 Moreno Valley, CA 8.25 +31.7% 9
144 Arlington, TX 8.19 +32.6% -1
145 San Jose, CA 8.19 +32.7% -1
146 Minneapolis, MN 8.19 +32.7% 14
147 Columbus, OH 8.14 +33.5% -6
148 Stockton, CA 8.12 +33.7% 5
149 Lancaster, CA 8.11 +33.9% -25
150 Ontario, CA 8.1 +34.1% -5
151 Norfolk, VA 8.02 +35.4% -12
152 Rochester, NY 8.0 +35.8% -4
153 Glendale, AZ 7.96 +36.4% -15
154 Hayward, CA 7.96 +36.5% 8
155 Houston, TX 7.93 +37.0% -1
156 Yonkers, NY 7.91 +37.3% 7
157 St. Paul, MN 7.89 +37.6% 15
158 St. Louis, MO 7.84 +38.6% 17
159 Mesquite, TX 7.84 +38.6% -8
160 Baton Rouge, LA 7.79 +39.5% -1
161 Palmdale, CA 7.78 +39.6% -30
162 Irvine, CA 7.73 +40.5% 7
163 San Bernardino, CA 7.7 +41.0% 1
164 Richmond, VA 7.66 +41.7% -3
165 Dallas, TX 7.64 +42.1% 0
166 Buffalo, NY 7.62 +42.5% -11
167 Arlington, VA 7.61 +42.8% -20
168 Syracuse, NY 7.6 +43.0% 5
169 Chicago, IL 7.56 +43.7% -13
170 San Francisco, CA 7.5 +44.9% 8
171 Paterson, NJ 7.44 +46.0% -4
172 Sacramento, CA 7.41 +46.5% 5
173 Santa Ana, CA 7.37 +47.5% 3
174 Enterprise, NV 7.35 +47.8% -8
175 Garland, TX 7.3 +48.9% -5
176 Anaheim, CA 7.29 +48.9% 5
177 Pittsburgh, PA 7.29 +49.0% -6
178 Las Vegas, NV 7.24 +50.0% -4
179 Long Beach, CA 7.21 +50.6% 4
180 Detroit, MI 7.19 +51.1% -38
181 Atlanta, GA 7.17 +51.5% 8
182 Newark, NJ 7.03 +54.5% -2
183 Paradise, NV 6.98 +55.5% 1
184 Spring Valley, NV 6.96 +56.1% -5
185 Garden Grove, CA 6.79 +59.9% -3
186 Bridgeport, CT 6.64 +63.7% 0
187 North Las Vegas, NV 6.63 +63.9% -2
188 Grand Rapids, MI 6.62 +64.1% -1
189 Alexandria, VA 6.21 +75.0% -1
190 Oakland, CA 6.2 +75.1% 3
191 Philadelphia, PA 6.12 +77.6% 0
192 Los Angeles, CA 5.99 +81.5% 2
193 Sunrise Manor, NV 5.95 +82.6% -3
194 Providence, RI 5.87 +85.1% -2
195 Glendale, CA 5.53 +96.5% 0
196 Springfield, MA 5.18 +109.6% 0
197 Worcester, MA 5.14 +111.2% 0
198 Baltimore, MD 4.49 +142.1% 0
199 Washington, DC 4.24 +156.3% 0
200 Boston, MA 3.76 +188.7% 0

*Values represent variance from the U.S. average (0); negative values indicate lower likelihood; positive values indicate higher likelihood.

Our methodology

The 2026 Allstate America's Best Drivers Report analyzes Allstate auto claims data to compare collision trends across the 200 most populous U.S. cities. Rankings are based on property damage claim frequency, reflecting how often drivers cause damage to others. Results are expressed as average years between collisions and likelihood compared with the U.S. average. Likelihood values use a U.S. baseline of 0, where negative values indicate lower-than-average likelihood and positive values indicate higher-than-average likelihood.

Allstate analyzed property damage claims reported during the two-year period from January 2023 through December 2024 to rank cities. The company also reviews overall claims data, including both property damage and collision claims, to inform national benchmarks, such as the average years between collisions. A collision is defined as any auto crash resulting in a property damage or collision claim. U.S. Census Bureau data was used to identify the 200 largest U.S. cities. According to Allstate claims data, the average U.S. driver experiences a collision once every 10.86 years. Allstate's auto policies represent approximately 10% of all U.S. auto policies, making the report a realistic snapshot of driving trends across the country.

Drivewise behavioral metrics, including phone use, speeding, hard braking and nighttime driving, are included as aggregated context to help explain patterns observed in the claims data. These insights are based on aggregated and anonymized Drivewise data collected from January 2025 through December 2025, providing a more recent view of driving behaviors. They are used to illustrate how driving habits vary across cities, rather than to rank them. Drivewise behavioral metrics are expressed as indices benchmarked to a U.S. average of 100, using a trip-distance-weighted average across cities, where values above 100 indicate higher rates of the behavior and values below 100 indicate lower rates. Speeding reflects the share of miles driven 15 mph or more over the posted speed limit, hard braking captures sudden braking events per 100 miles driven, phone use reflects phone unlock events while driving, and nighttime driving represents the share of miles driven during overnight or low-light hours.

In Michigan, where a no-fault insurance system changes how certain claims are recorded, results are included but may not be directly comparable to other states.

The Allstate America's Best Drivers Report is produced to support a broader conversation about safe driving and to increase awareness of the importance of attentive driving habits. The report is not used to determine auto insurance rates.

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