California cities dominate ranking of riskiest places for drivers

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California drivers are getting a dangerous reality check, with six Golden State cities ranking among the 10 riskiest places to drive in America.

San Diego came in second nationwide, with 28.2 crashes per 1,000 drivers, while Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for third at 26.9, according to new data from financial comparison site LendingTree.

Sacramento ranked sixth with 25.6 crashes per 1,000 drivers, followed by Long Beach at 22.7 and San Jose at 22.3, rounding out California’s six-city showing in the top 10.

Only Raleigh, NC, was worse, recording 29.1 crashes per 1,000 drivers. The national average was 17.9.

The rankings were based on QuoteWizard insurance quote data collected between Aug. 1, 2025, and July 31, 2026, across the 50 largest US cities.

Lindsay Bishop, LendingTree’s auto insurance expert, said a mix of congestion, road conditions, driving habits and time spent behind the wheel could help explain the troubling numbers.

“Generally, the more time drivers spend on the road and the more traffic congestion, the more opportunities there are for accidents,” Bishop said.

California’s crowded freeways, tricky merges, constant lane changes and packed intersections create a particularly hazardous mix, she said.

“Every additional interaction creates another opportunity for an accident,” she said.

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The figures measure crashes per 1,000 drivers, not the odds that any individual motorist will be involved in a wreck. Still, the results underscore how frequently collisions occur in some of the country’s busiest urban areas.

Young drivers also stood out as a major risk group. Motorists ages 18 to 28 recorded 33.1 crashes per 1,000 drivers, more than double the rates for millennials, at 14.8, and Generation X, at 14.9. Baby boomers came in at 18.

Bishop pointed to younger drivers’ lack of experience behind the wheel and a greater tendency toward risky behavior, including speeding.

The consequences can hit their wallets, too, as insurers use accident risk and claims history to help set premiums.

The analysis also found big differences by vehicle brand. Ram drivers had the highest crash rate among 30 makes examined, at 25.9 per 1,000 drivers, followed by Tesla at 25 and Subaru at 23.4. Pontiac drivers had the lowest rate, at 9, followed by Chrysler at 11.4 and Cadillac at 12.1.

But Bishop cautioned that the figures don’t prove certain brands make people worse drivers. Age, experience, driving environments and time on the road can all influence the results, while vehicle safety features may also play a role.

Fatal crashes told a different story.

Memphis, Tenn., had the highest fatal-crash rate among the 50 largest US cities in 2024, with 27.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, more than 2.5 times the national rate of 10.7. Tucson, Ariz., followed at 24, with Albuquerque, N.M., at 19.1.

Phoenix recorded the highest raw total, with 267 fatal crashes and a rate of 16 per 100,000 residents.

Washington, DC, saw fatal crashes jump 109.1% from 2019 to 2024, while Tucson’s rate rose 70.5% and Las Vegas’ increased 66.7%. Atlanta moved in the opposite direction, with fatal crashes dropping 32.1%. San Jose recorded a 31.2% decline.

Bishop said speed can make the difference between a collision and a deadly wreck, with dangerous intersections, road design and delayed emergency response also affecting outcomes.

Her advice for drivers: avoid rush-hour gridlock and late-night trips when possible, slow down, leave plenty of space and stay alert. Usage-based insurance programs that track driving habits may also offer discounts to safer motorists.