The 10 worst cities to drive in the US are revealed

Release time：2024-05-09 06:30:32 Source：Culture Compass news portal

The worst cities to drive in the US have been revealed and Los Angeles does not even make the top ten.

While Californian cities claimed a number of the top spots, the City of Angels lagged behind despite its reputation for heavy traffic.

Forbes analyzed the 47 most populated places in the US to produce the ranking based on four categories: driving experience, safety, cost of car ownership and access to car maintenance.

Each city was given a possible score, with 100 the worst outcome. While a number of cities scored highly, the worst city was giving a damning 100/100 rating.

The worst cities to drive in the US have been revealed and Los Angeles  (pictured) does not even make the top ten in results many have found surprising

 10. Portland, Oregon

A combination of a high rate of motor thefts, poor weather contributing to car wrecks and slow moving rush hour traffic mean that Portland comes in at number ten.

Relatively high gasoline prices, at $3.80 per gallon, also make Portland unfavorable for motorists.

Portland has the joint 10th slowest downtown area average speed at 15mph and an average rush hour speed of just 23mph.

Overall, Portland was given a score of 80.83 out of 100. 

 9. Dallas, Texas

Lengthy commute times, high annual car insurance premiums and frequent accidents mean Dallas came in number nine

Dallas is one of two Texas cities to make the top ten, with a score of 84.

Lengthy commute times, high annual car insurance premiums and frequent accidents were blamed for its rating.

The city has the 10th highest  number of fatal car accidents at 14.85 per 100,000 city residents. 

8. Atlanta Georgia

Atlanta records an average of 16.36 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents, the sixth highest of all the cities polled

Just behind is Atlanta, with a score of 84.87 out of 100 largely due to safety concerns. 

There are 16.36 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents, the sixth highest of all the cities polled.

Traffic congestion also means that Atlanta motorists fork out $1,257 on gas per year, the 11th highest of the cities ranked.

7. Chicago, Illinois

Chicago ranked third worst for overall driving experience, largely due to the fact motorists spend the most time in traffic here of any other city analyzed

Chicago ranked third worst for overall driving experience, largely due to the fact motorists spend the most time in traffic here of any other city analyzed.

Chicago drivers spend a whopping 155 hours per year in traffic.

This means that drivers spend more on gas - around $2,618 annually.

Plus a dearth of electric vehicle charging points means that not even making a switch to hybrid or electric is likely to ease the misery.

Chicago has just 1.05 EV charging stations per 10,000 city residents. 

The congestion also means Chicago tied jointly with Boston for slowest average rush hour speed at 18 mph. 

6. New York City, New York

The Big Apple ranked worst for cost of car ownership, forking out $4,623 for insurance on average and losing almost $2,000 a year on gas due to traffic congestion

Despite being the priciest city to own a vehicle and the longest commute, New York City scored 92.64 out of a possible 100 and ranked lower than several other large metropolises.

The Big Apple ranked worst for cost of car ownership, forking out $4,623 for insurance on average and losing almost $2,000 a year on gas due to traffic congestion.

A New York motorist can expect to take around 24 minutes and 8 seconds to travel six miles, the longest in the study.

Unsurprisingly, this is often due to traffic with drivers sitting in gridlock for 117 hours a year.

New York had the lowest electric vehicle charging stations out of all the cities analyzed at just 0.45 per 10,000 people.

5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia drivers $1,925 per year on gas consumption due to congestion and $3,754 a year on car insurance

A combination of low scores across several metrics mean that The City of Brotherly Love earned a score of 96.33.

Rush hour sees speeds in the city plummet to just 21mph, meaning drivers spend the fourth highest amount of time in traffic on average with 114 hours per year.

Meanwhile the downtown speed is 11mph typically - the same as New York City, Chicago, Washington D.C. and Boston.

Philadelphia drivers $1,925 per year on gas consumption due to congestion and $3,754 a year on car insurance.

4. Houston, Texas 

Houston was given a score of 96.52 out of 100, making it the fourth worst city

 A shortage of car repair shops in the city bring down Houston's average. 

There are just the 1.89 per 10,000 residents in Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area.

This combined with an average commute of 30 minutes and 9 seconds and losing 11 hours a year in congestion, has given Houston a score of 96.52 out of 100.

Additionally motorists in the Houston metro area spend the 11th highest amount on gas due to traffic at $1,257 a year. 

 3. San Francisco, California

San Francisco is one of three Californian cities to make the list owing to its sky high gas prices, agonizingly slow commutes and relatively high number of car thefts

San Francisco is one of three Californian cities to make the list owing to its sky high gas prices, agonizingly slow commutes and relatively high number of car thefts.

SF Drivers inch along six miles in 20 minutes and 50 seconds, the third longest in the study. 

 They also have the fourth longest commute of 35 minutes and eight seconds.

The city ranked sixth overall across a number of metrics including: downtown speed at 12pmh, rush hour speed at 23mph and length of time per year in traffic at 97 hours.

Most concerningly, the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area a high rate of car thefts, 676.79 stolen cars per 100,000 residents. 

 2. Miami, Florida

Miami drivers can expect to pay $4,628 a year for insurance, as well as $1,773 on gas due to traffic congestion - the fifth highest of all cities surveyed

Overall Miami scored 98.74 out of 100 mainly as a result of soaring insurance prices, lengthy commutes and glacial rush hour speeds.

Miami drivers can expect to pay $4,628 a year for insurance, as well as $1,773 on gas due to traffic congestion - the fifth highest of all cities surveyed.

The city ranked sixth overall for driving experience, with 105 hours per year in congestion.

 1. Oakland, California

Oakland achieved the worst possible score of 100 to come in first in the rankings of the top ten worst cities for drivers. Pictured: A road rage driver in Oakland last year 

Oakland achieved the worst possible score of 100 to come in first in the rankings of the top ten worst cities for drivers.

Poor road safety, eyewatering gas prices and a high average commute time boosted the Californian city to the top of the list.

It ranks fourth for car thefts, with 676.79 cars stolen per 100,000 residents.

Oakland came out second worst overall when it comes to the cost of car ownership, as motorists fork out $4.52 per gallon of gasoline.

The city ranked ninth worst overall for driving experience, with 97 hours a year in traffic.

Drivers in the area have the sixth slowest average rush hour traffic speed at 23 mph, as well as the sixth slowest average downtown speed at 12 mph. 

Related articles