Colorado city tops list in insurer’s ‘best drivers’ report

Fort Collins, Colo. has topped the list of U.S. cities with the safest drivers from insurer Allstate for the third time in the annual report’s history.

In the nine years that the Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report has been produced, Fort Collins has been in the top 10.

This year, the company’s report suggests that the average driver in the city will experience an auto collision every 13.9 years, 28.2% less likely than the national average of 10 years.

Recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration suggests that car crash fatalities increased by more than 1,700 from 2011 to 2012, the first year-to-year increase in fatalities since 2005.

While fatalities have increased over the past year, Allstate’s research suggests that 70% of vehicles involved in auto claims are considered drivable, which means most claims are the result of low speed (under 35 miles per hour) collisions.

“Allstate has found the most frequent collisions happen during minor fender-benders, but it’s important to keep in mind that even lower-speed accidents can have serious outcomes,” noted Mike Roche, senior vice president of claims at Allstate.

The insurer’s analysis is based on company claims data to determine the likelihood drivers in America’s 200 largest cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average.

Internal property damage reported claims were analyzed over a two-year period (from January 2010 to December 2011) to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather or road construction.

A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. Allstate’s auto policies represent about 10% of all U.S. auto policies.

The top 10 cities include:

City & Overall Ranking	Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average	Average Years Between Collisions
1.   Fort Collins, Colo.	28.2% less likely	13.9
2.   Boise, Idaho	28.0% less likely	13.9
3.   Sioux Falls, S.D.	21.8% less likely	12.8
4.   Brownsville, Texas	21.1% less likely	12.7
5.   Madison, Wis.	20.3% less likely	12.5
6.   Reno, Nev.	20.2% less likely	12.5
7.   Huntsville, Ala.	20.1% less likely	12.5
8.   Visalia, Calif.	18.5% less likely	12.3
9.   Montgomery, Ala.	16.3% less likely	11.9
10. Eugene, Ore.	16.2% less likely	11.9

Drivers  in Phoenix also topped the list among commuters in American cities with more than one million people. Rankings among these cities include:

City & Overall Ranking	Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average	Average Years Between Collisions
71. Phoenix, Ariz.	2.0% more likely	9.8
127.  San Diego, Calif.	14.6% more likely	8.7
141.  San Antonio, Texas	22.4% more likely	8.2
150.  Chicago, Ill.	25.2% more likely	8.0
151.  Houston, Texas	25.6% more likely	8.0
170.  Dallas, Texas	35.6% more likely	7.4
172.  New York, N.Y.	37.8% more likely	7.3
181.  Los Angeles, Calif.	49.3% more likely	6.7
189.  Philadelphia, Pa.	65.9% more likely	6.0

Cities holding the top spot for their respective city size:

City & Overall Ranking	Collision Likelihood Compared to National Average	Average Years Between Collisions	Population
64.  Denver & Lakewood, Colo.[ii]	0.4% less likely	10.0	750,000 – 1 million
20.  Tucson, Ariz.	12.4% less likely	11.4	500,000 – 749,999
11.  Mesa, Ariz.	15.7% less likely	11.9	250,000 – 499,999