NEW YORK — A new study conducted by Forbes Advisor ranks Oakland, California, as the worst city in which to drive.
It’s followed by Miami, San Francisco, Houston and Philadelphia.
Two of the top 10 best cities to drive in are located in North Carolina: Raleigh and Charlotte, according to the report.
Boston ranks worst for driving experience, while Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the worst city for driver safety.
New York City is the most expensive city to own a vehicle, and drivers in Memphis, Tennessee. have the worst access to vehicle maintenance.
TOP 10
- Drivers in Oakland have the worst driving experience out of the 47 cities we evaluated, thanks to its high number of fatal car accidents, steep gas prices and a high average commute time workers face each day.
- Miami, Florida has high insurance prices, long commutes and slow rush hour speeds, so drivers should prepare for frustration on the road.
- San Francisco drivers not only pay the highest gas prices among the cities we analyzed, but also face achingly slow commutes to and from work.
- Drivers lose an average of 11 hours per year in traffic in the Houston area. It ranks 12th worst for access to car maintenance, thanks in part to the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area having the seventh fewest car repair shops at 1.89 per 10,000 residents.Houston also ranks 12th worst for overall driving experience.
- During rush hour, drivers in Philadelphia experience the third slowest traffic speed and spend some of the highest amounts of money on gas due to traffic congestion. Philadelphia ranks fifth worst for overall driving experience.
- Despite having the highest prices for the cost of vehicle ownership and the longest average commute of all cities Forbes analyzed, New York City only lands at number six on the list of the worst cities in which to drive.
- In Chicago, drivers spend the highest amount of time in traffic among the cities Forbes analyzed, and as a result, drivers spend the most on fuel thanks to traffic congestion.
- Atlanta, is a dangerous city to drive in, with a high number of fatal car accidents per year. With 16.36 fatal crashes per 100,000 city residents, Atlanta has the sixth highest number of fatal car accidents a year.
- The second Texas city to make the top 10 list of worst cities to drive in, Dallas lands on the list thanks to poor commute times, high annual vehicle insurance premiums and a high number of fatal car accidents. Dallas ranks 10th worst for overall safety, due to having the 10th highest number of fatal car accidents at 14.85 per 100,000 city residents. Dallas also tied with Houston, Atlanta, Fort Worth and Louisville for having the 12th slowest average downtown speed of 16 mph.
- Landing at the bottom of the top 10, Portland, Oregon, drivers experience a high rate of car thefts, and many rainy days. Portland ranks 10th worst for overall driving experience. Portland sees the second highest average number of days with precipitation (153 days per year). Portland tied with San Francisco and Oakland for having the sixth slowest average rush hour speed at 23 mph. Additionally, drivers in Portland pay an average of $3.80 per gallon of regular gasoline, the 11th highest amount among the cities on the Forbes list.
Born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and raised in East Texas, John Worthen returned to his home state to attend college in 1998 and decided to make his life in The Natural State. Worthen is a 20-year veteran of the journalism industry and has covered just about every topic there is. He has a passion for writing and telling stories. He has worked as a beat reporter and bureau chief for a statewide newspaper and as managing editor of a regional newspaper in Arkansas. Additionally, Worthen has been a prolific freelance journalist for two decades, and has been published in several travel magazines and on travel websites.
