We've all been there.
You're stuck behind someone who forgets their turn signal exists, someone cuts across three lanes to make an exit, or a driver somehow thinks a red light is just a "strong suggestion." It usually ends with someone saying, "People in this town are the worst drivers!"
Well, a new study tried to settle that debate once and for all.
ConsumerAffairs analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, looking at 338 cities across America. The rankings were based on four major factors:
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Traffic crash fatalities
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Fatal crashes caused by poor driving decisions
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DUI-related fatalities
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Speeding-related fatalities
The "bad driving" category included behaviors like driving the wrong way on one-way streets, failing to yield, aggressive driving, unsafe lane changes, tailgating, and improper turns.
The 10 Cities With the Worst Drivers
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Waterbury, Connecticut
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Memphis, Tennessee
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Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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North Charleston, South Carolina
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Odessa, Texas
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Knoxville, Tennessee
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Rialto, California
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Jurupa Valley, California
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Kansas City, Missouri
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Hesperia, California
Some larger cities also landed farther down the list, including Tucson (#11), Dallas (#14), Cleveland (#17), Milwaukee (#25), Houston (#30), Phoenix (#31), Nashville (#40), Omaha (#41), and Detroit (#47).
The Cities With the Best Drivers
Not every city earned a bad reputation.
The study found these communities had the safest drivers:
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Salinas, California
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Olathe, Kansas
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Coral Springs, Florida
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Lowell, Massachusetts
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New York City
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Carmel, Indiana
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Oxnard, California
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Elgin, Illinois
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San Mateo, California
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Meridian, Idaho
Yes, New York City made the list of the best-driving cities. Considering the traffic there, that one might surprise a few people.
What About Michigan?
Detroit came in at No. 47 among the 50 worst cities in the study. While it did appear on the list, it ranked much lower than many of the cities near the top.
Of course, every driver has their own opinion about where the toughest roads are. Whether it's construction zones, rush hour traffic, or someone refusing to use a turn signal, chances are you've got a story.
