Driving conditions are poor in these cities
There's nothing like taking to the open road on a cloudless day, the path clear before you for miles. But then there are the other days. Hail, rain, fog, snow, potholes. These things can lead to poor visibilty, dangerous driving conditions and an increase in traffic accidents. Drivers living in different areas of the country can be affected by different adverse driving conditions due to everything from poor infrastructure to weather. And the amount they pay for insurance reflects that (along with othe rating factors).
We recently looked at a number of factors to find the worst cities for driving conditions in the U.S. We evaluated the top 50 metropolitan areas based on population. We then ranked them based on five categories that have a significant impact on road conditions.
- Road quality (by state)
- Annual days of fog (by city)
- Annual days of rain (by city)
- Total inches of snow each year (by city)
- Number of hail claims (by state)
Before you set out for any road trips, take a look at our top 10 worst cities for driving conditions based on these seven criteria. How does your city stack up?
Staying safe while on the road depends on both the skill of the driver and the environment in which they’re driving. Regardless of where you're driving, it’s smart to stay aware of what weather is most likely to impact your city’s road conditions and how to best prepare for inclement days.
Methodology
The Zebra pulled five data points to analyze the top 50 MSAs (by population) in the U.S. for:
- Road quality (by state): Worst roads by roughness and resident rating: Consumer Affairs
- Annual days of fog (by city): Current Results Weather and Science Facts
- Annual days of precipitation (by city): National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Total inches of snow each year (by city): National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- Hail and thunderstorm risk (by state): 2021 report by National Insurance Crime Bureau
MSA data was used where applicable, and we sometimes substituted city or state data as necessary.