Which U.S. Cities Have the Worst Drivers? - Copy

Ah, the dangers of the vast unknown that is the open, err, jam-packed road. Every morning, you brave these conditions on the way to work. And after a long day dealing with the headaches of your job, you’re forced to beat the odds once more to make it to the safety of your home.

The entire country is full of inattentive and crazed drivers that are always talking on their cell phones, texting friends, eating a massive lunch or deciding that the ideal time to re-apply makeup is in the middle of a busy intersection.

Correction: Everyone on the road, except for you.

Between talking to yourself about how bad a particular driver is, questioning who on Earth would grant these people a driver’s license, and yelling at no one in particular, you may begin to wonder if you are surrounded by the worst drivers in the entire country.

Fortunately for you, there is now proof that you may be among a group of mentally unstable, aspiring demolition derby drivers. Slate has charted the worst drivers in America and determined the most dangerous cities for anyone who dares drive within its limits.

The criteria was simple: Stick to cities with high populations, chart the average mileage driver per household, determine accident rates and frequency, automotive fatalities, alcohol-related driving deaths and pedestrian strikes, all while averaging data from the past few years. In all, 39 cities had noteworthy numbers, but one city dominated the top of the charts.

Florida ran away with the title of most dangerous state for drivers by finishing with five cities in the Top 10. But would the volume of cities at the top of the list mean they could grab the top spot as most dangerous driving city as well?

The Top 5 Most Dangerous Cities for Drivers:

5. Baltimore, Maryland
Despite having a low number of fatalities and pedestrian strikes, Charm City still proved to be a dangerous driving city because of its high number of accidents. The average driver in the Baltimore is likely to be part of a traffic collision approximately once every five years.

4. Tampa, Florida
Tampa didn’t standout in any particular area, but the city managed to position itself poorly in every category across the board. So while there’s no one specific danger to be on the lookout for, there is a likely chance that something bad will happen when you go out on the road.

3. Hialeah, Florida
The drivers of this city have a tendency to run into each other, and at an alarming rate. Hialeah was ranked 11th in accidents, and was third in driver related fatalities.

2. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The city of Philadelphia somehow managed to have fewest average miles driven per household amongst the Top 20 cities, and yet still finished second in both collisions and pedestrian strikes.

1. Miami, Florida
It may only be the 42nd most populated city in the United States, but Miami was far and away the most dangerous driving city in the country. Ranking first in both fatalities and pedestrian strikes, the drivers of Miami seem to be treating their city like a real life version of Grand Theft Auto.