Which cities' drivers strike fear in the hearts of visitors? In a new survey, Travel + Leisure readers lived to tell.
Wendy Peck once spent a year driving 30,000 miles around North America. "I'm a confident driver," says the Canadian meeting planner, "always have been."
Until, that is, she spent a winter driving in and out of Phoenix.
"It's not just that people speed," she says, "but they roar up behind you in the lane, and have to slam on their brakes when you don't magically disappear from their path." The irony, she added, is that the city itself is easy to navigate. "It's 100 percent the drivers that scare me to death."
That kind of suspense helped Phoenix plow into the top 10 of America's Worst Drivers -- a new category in the annual America's Favorite Cities survey. Travel + Leisure readers evaluate 35 cities, voting in categories such as shopping, cuisine, and driving ability. The nation's best drivers, according to readers, are tooling around Kansas City, KS, Portland, ME and Savannah, GA.
And the worst drivers? They hail from cities known for traffic and, shall we say, lively locals. Simon Tam, a musician who tours with the band the Slants, recalls driving though Little Italy in New York City.
"A large delivery truck once drove onto the sidewalk just to pass me," he says. "In the process, he took off my side mirror--and then flipped me off."
Granted, some bad reputations stem from unfair perceptions. According to the Allstate Insurance Best Drivers Report, Phoenix residents average about 10 years between accidents while local drivers in Washington, D.C. average only five years between incidents. And some cities that ranked as the worst for driving ability are filled with tourists who don't know their way around. That may explain Orlando's poor standing. (You try finding your exit with a car full of kids riding a sugar high).
Density and growing traffic can also take their toll on otherwise easygoing locals. Austin, TX, for instance, made the Worst list, despite also ranking well in the survey for friendliness.
"You just can't predict what they're going to do," says Jason Jepson, an entrepreneur who moved to the Texas capital last year. "They'll gun it on a yellow, or swerve left to make a right-hand turn--and if you don't have a huge truck, you'll just get run over."
Yet there's a twist: "Drivers here are super nice to people on bikes," says Jepson. "I feel much safer on my ten-speed than I do in my car."
--Katrina Brown Hunt
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At least we're doing better than Kenya--whose traffic safety record is similar to Ethiopia );
Deadliest
1 Eritrea 1/751
2 Cook Islands 1/1782
3 Eqypt 1/269
4 Jamahirya 1/854
5 Afghanistan 1/854
6 Iraq 1/1161
7 Niger 1/133
8 Angola 1/285
9 UAE 1/1661
10 Gambia 1/267
Safest
1 Marshall Isl 1/2487
2 San Marino 1/51590
3 Malta 1/25437
4 Uraguay 1/6566
5 Netherlands 1/11205
5 Singapore 1/3978
7 Switzerland 1/14476
7 West Bank 1/418
9 Norway 1/11158
9 Japan 1/13764
Misc
Ethiopia 1/100
Canada 1/6945
China 1/1503
Thailand 1/2051
South Africa 1/573
India 1/688
USA 1/5896
Germany 1/11217
Saudi Arabia 1/1163
Central African Republic 1/10
Sao Tome 1/60
Spain 1/7661
Mexico 1/1468
Others of Interest
Iceland 1/9777
Poland 1/3230
There are certain rules of courtesy that most everyone abides by (and people will let you know right away if you've broken them)
I'm from Philadelphia, I often think we have insane and dangerous drivers here... till I remember a weekend in Boston. I have NEVER seen roadways filled with such dangerous and reckless driving, or seen a city where everyone seems to accept that as the way things are meant to be.
I still do think Philadelphia drivers are lousy, but they are like sweet, genteel, conscientious Quakers compared to Boston's feral drivers.
--The Kamikaze. Former taxi driver accustomed to driving in some chaotic, free-for-all like Mexico City or Sao Paulo now barreling down the Turnpike in his uninsured, nothing-to-lose, rusting 1989 Toyota. (We have no auto inspections in Florida).
--The Geriatrics. The 80-years old, cataracts, hearing aid, driving a huge Lincoln Town Car 40 in -- more or less -- the left lane of the 95. The usually end up smashing into a convenience store or a canal.
--The Tourists. Think four girls on spring-break in a rented yellow Mustang convertible, yacking on their cell phones and texting while trying to find some South Beach party. Variation: British tourists just off the plane and into the brave new world of right hand driving.
--The Newcomers. We're still getting people moving down here for some reason. They tend to be preoccupied with maps and nav systems as they weave in and out of traffic trying to find some God-awful Spanish-Med style tract home near the swamp.
Add in a general me-centric attitude here -- "Only I exist. Other drivers, pedestrians are invisible to me" and a dollop of urban sprawl, traffic, heat / humidity, too much sun and inevitable draw bridge openings and you get the nail-biting, Miami driving experience.