Dorothy and Toto may not associate their home state with safety — at least not in terms of home-relocating weather events — but when it comes to places with the safest drivers, we're not not in Kansas anymore. For the first time in the 11-year history of insurance giant Allstate's annual "America's Safest Drivers Report," Kansas City, Kan., has taken the top spot.
Related: Study Ranks Best and Worst States for Drivers
While "KCK" often stands in the shadow of its much larger and more-well-known neighbor, Kansas City, Mo., it now plays second fiddle to no one. According to the study, motorists in Kansas City, Kan., are nearly 25 percent less-likely to be involved in a collision compared with the national average, and boast an average per-driver span between accidents exceeding 13 years compared with a decade nationally.
With the U.S. reportedly on track for its deadliest driving year since 2007, recognizing safe driving becomes all the more appropriate. The National Safety Council reported that for the first half of 2015, traffic deaths are up 14 percent from the same period the previous year, while serious injuries are up nearly a third. Allstate said its goal for highlighting communities with the best driving records raises awareness and gets people talking about safety.
While "America's Safest Drivers" is hardly a zero-sum game, the rise of Kansas City did supplant the consistently safe Fort Collins, Colo., which had enjoyed the view from its No. 1 perch for four years running before now. Fort Collins was bumped down to a still-respectable No. 4, with a 21.1 percent lesser likelihood of drivers crashing and 12.7 years between collisions. Newcomers to this year's top 10 include Cape Coral, Fla. (21 percent, 12.7 years); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (15.1 percent, 11.8 years); and Cary, N.C. (13.8 percent, 11.6 years).
Allstate's analysis considers claims data from the 200 largest cities in the U.S. to determine the per-driver likelihood of a crash and compares it with the national average. Analyzed claims covered a two-year period between January 2012 and December 2013.
According to the "America's Safest Drivers" report, the top 10 safest cities to drive in, followed by the percentage drivers are less likely to crash and the number of years between collisions, are:
1. Kansas City, Kan.; 24.8 percent; 13.3 years
2. Brownsville, Texas; 24.6; 13.3
3. Boise, Idaho; 23.5; 13.1
4. Fort Collins, Colo.; 21.1; 12.7
5. Cape Coral, Fla.; 21; 12.7
6. Madison, Wis.; 18.2; 12.2
7. Cedar Rapids, Iowa; 15.1; 11.8
8. Laredo, Texas; 14.7; 11.7
9. Huntsville, Ala.; 14.7; 11.7
10. Cary, N.C.; 13.8; 11.6
Conversely, the least-safe cities in the U.S., followed by the percentage drivers are more likely to be in an accident and the years between, are:
1. Boston; 157.7 percent more likely; 3.9 years
2. Worcester, Mass.; 120.7; 4.5
3. Baltimore; 113.9; 4.7
4. Washington, D.C.; 106.3; 4.8
5. Springfield, Mass.; 93.1; 5.2
6. Providence, R.I.; 87.4; 5.3
7. Glendale, Calif.; 79.4; 5.6
8. San Francisco; 65; 6.1
9. Philadelphia; 64.4; 6.1
10. Los Angeles; 63.3; 6.1
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