Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure
America's Worst Drivers
  • Subscribe
  • World's Best
  • Trip Ideas
  • News
  • Hotels + Resorts
  • Cruises
  • Subscribe
  • Gift Guides
  • Holiday Travel
    • 4th of July Travel
    • Labor Day Weekend
    • Thanksgiving Travel
    • Christmas Travel
  • News
  • Destinations
  • Hotels and Resorts
    • All Inclusive Resorts
    • Beach Hotels
    • Boutique Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Hotels
    • Mountain + Ski Resorts
    • Luxury Hotels
    • Spa Resorts
    • Vacation Rentals
    • Hotel Openings
    • Hotel Reviews
  • Book a Trip
  • 2017 World's Best Awards
  • Travel Tips and Intel
    • Best Travel Apps
    • Budgeting + Currency
    • Celebrity Travel
    • Customs + Immigration
    • Gadgets
    • Luggage + Packing Tips
    • Offbeat News
    • Points + Miles
    • Responsible Travel
    • Travel Agents
    • Travel Etiquette
    • Travel Warnings
  • T+L Travel Guide App
  • Travel Video
  • Food + Drink
    • Restaurants
    • Bars + Clubs
    • Wine + Vineyards
    • Beer + Breweries
    • Cocktails + Spirits
    • Food Fairs
    • Celebrity Chefs
  • Trip Ideas
    • Summer Vacations
    • National Parks
    • Disney Vacations
    • Destination Weddings
    • Honeymoon Destinations
    • Beach Vacations
    • City Vacations
    • Country Vacations
    • Family Vacations
    • Spring Vacations
    • Fall Vacations
    • Winter Vacations
  • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Shoes
    • Shopping
    • Travel Accessories
    • Travel Bags
  • Weekend Getaways
    • Getaways from Chicago
    • Getaways from Dallas
    • Getaways from Houston
    • Getaways from Los Angeles
    • Getaways from NYC
    • Getaways from San Francisco
    • Getaways from Seattle
  • Cruises
    • Alaskan Cruises
    • All Inclusive Cruises
    • Caribbean Cruises
    • Disney Cruises
    • European Cruises
    • Family Friendly Cruises
    • River Cruises
  • Top Attractions
    • Amusement Parks
    • Casinos
    • Colleges + Universities
    • Festivals
    • Landmarks + Monuments
    • Museums + Galleries
    • Parks + Gardens
    • Theater + Dance
    • Zoos + Aquariums
  • Check-In
  1. T+L
  2. Trip Ideas
  3. Road Trips

America's Worst Drivers

Which cities’ drivers strike fear in the hearts of visitors? In a new survey, Travel + Leisure readers lived to tell.

More
Katrina Brown Hunt
October 10, 2011

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 run-ins. 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 carful 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.”

1 of 20 iShootPhotos, LLC

No. 1 Miami

Spending too much time checking their hair in the rearview mirror? These Floridians ranked near the top for their good looks, fashion savvy, and cocktail scene. But all that eye candy can get distracting. Locals didn’t impress voters with their street smarts: Miami ranked as the city with the worst drivers.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
2 of 20 Getty Images

No. 2 Atlanta

In this famously sprawling city, driving is essential. But that doesn’t mean local drivers impressed our readers with their skills at the wheel. Maybe it’s a case of slow reflexes. Atlanta locals also ranked as some of the least athletic. And their driving may contribute to the city’s unsettling ranking for safety.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

3 of 20 Getty Images

No. 3 New York City

Driving is nearly a contact sport in the Big Apple; most visitors would rather buckle into the backseat and let the cabbies fight it out. Many locals don’t drive regularly, which may contribute to their poor ranking here. When the traffic gets too intimidating, pull over for a snack: New York City ranked fifth for its beloved street food.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
4 of 20 Sarah Lemoncelli

No. 4 Boston

Beantown’s drivers are primed to ace their written driving tests—they rank third in the survey for smarts—but they don’t play nice on the road, landing in the bottom five for friendliness. For a more relaxing holiday, park your car and stroll on the pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
5 of 20 Getty Images

No. 5 Washington, D.C.

Maybe the diverse crowd here—visiting our nation’s capital from all over the globe—just has varying interpretations of traffic laws. Summer intensifies the problem, too, with hordes of family travelers and fireworks fans. Happily, the mass transit system ranks near the top; it’s an excellent excuse to forgo driving at all.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
6 of 20 iStock

No. 6 Dallas/Fort Worth

Perhaps drivers in the Big D are suffering from heat exhaustion and low blood sugar: according to the survey, they have to endure the nation’s worst weather, disappointing dining, and the country’s lamest coffee. Once you get off the clogged highways, at least, you might be able to kick back. Downtown Fort Worth is particularly pedestrian-friendly.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
7 of 20 Getty Images

No. 7 Orlando, FL

You might find it less frustrating to drive a teacup at the Magic Kingdom. Orlando locals aren’t terribly accident-prone, according to another study, so the erratic driving here may be the fault of all the disoriented tourists, whose nerves are frazzled by kids yelling, “Are we there yet?” from the backseat. No surprise, Orlando still took the top prize for family getaways.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
8 of 20 Getty Images

No. 8 Las Vegas

The potential for driving hazards is high in the city that earned the silver medal for both its bar scene and its wild weekend vibe. It’s also hard to keep your eye on the road when there are so many intriguing people to gawk at: Sin City ranked in the top five for people-watching, and in the top 12 for well-dressed, good-looking people.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
9 of 20 iStock

No. 9 Providence, RI

Offbeat and brainy may sound great when you’re sitting down for an excellent meal or a good latte, but these Rhode Island locals seem to lose their charm once they’re behind the wheel. Voters were willing to overlook a lot for a colorful backdrop, though: the city ranked in the top three for fall visits.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
10 of 20 Getty Images/iStockphoto

No. 10 Phoenix/Scottsdale

Beware of the snowbirds: the roads in this popular winter city may fall prey to seasonal visitors, who are squinting in the sun while trying to merge. You’re safer if you stick with pedestrian pursuits, such as lounging and shopping: voters loved the city for its luxury resorts and nice stores.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
11 of 20 Getty Images

No. 11 Los Angeles

On one hand, ranking outside the top 10 is something of a victory for the city that may have invented road rage. Still, watch yourself: the City of Angels ranks pretty low in the friendliness category, and that may extend to ticket-writing traffic cops and impatient drivers. Indeed, L.A. also ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the survey.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!
Vote in our first-ever Landmarks Survey!

Advertisement
12 of 20 Getty Images

No. 12 Houston

Do the locals drive their cars as though they were mechanical bulls? Visitors have long found this oil town’s layout a bit confusing, and there aren’t many opportunities for hoofing it, since the city ranked near the bottom for walkable streets. When in doubt, bide your time at one of the local burger joints, which ranked near the top.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
13 of 20 iStock

No. 13 Salt Lake City

The city scored highly for being clean and tame—so why are the streets ever rough? Perhaps folks are trying to drive while still wearing ski boots—they ranked poorly for their fashion sense—or maybe there are just too many tourists wandering the highways. At least you don’t have to worry about too many partiers on the road: the bar scene came in last place.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
14 of 20 iStock

No. 14 Memphis, TN

Distracted drivers here might just have the blues: While Memphis fell into the bottom 10 for its general disarray, the locals are still pretty welcoming. Voters were cheered, too, by the overall great values around town, including rich street fare and the legendary barbecue.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
15 of 20 iStock

No. 15 Baltimore

Proceed with caution: This Maryland city ranks as the generally most dangerous in the nation. Voters were put off by the local drivers and by the noise and pollution (some of which stems from gas-guzzling cars). But that doesn't mean travelers are staying away. Readers gave Baltimore a thumbs-up for the bar scene and the festive 4th of July.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
16 of 20 iStock

No. 16 San Juan, P.R.

If you find yourself in stop-and-go traffic in this island city, it may be due to drivers continually pulling over for food stands: San Juan won the street food category for its tempting kabobs, empanadas and roast suckling pig. It's hard to get too angry with locals who cut you off, either, considering they also ranked first in the survey for being good looking and charming.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
17 of 20 iStock

No. 17 Chicago

Is it really the drivers, or just the elements? In the next-to-last-rated city for weather, snow, rain, and slush certainly add more stress to traffic. The locals may not be defrosting their own windshields with personal warmth, either, according to voters. You’ll do better with locals once everyone gets inside: the fine dining options rank at No. 4, and the bar scene is No. 6.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
18 of 20 © Ian Dagnall / Alamy

No. 18 Austin, TX

The city’s booming population has snarled traffic and perhaps raised tempers out on the road—which was already pretty full of college kids and live music fans. Voters may have found Austin drivers to be a bit too unpredictable when changing lanes: AFC voters declared them the No. 4 city for offbeat locals.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
19 of 20 iStock

No. 19 San Francisco

Maybe the Bay Area’s less-than-perfect drivers are hopped up on espresso, or they’re rushing to make their restaurant reservations. No matter: your best bet is sticking with the cable cars, the BART system, or just the calorie-burning, hilly sidewalks. San Francisco ranked in second place for its mass transit and walkable streets, and in the top 10 for its physically fit locals.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

Advertisement
20 of 20 Getty Images

No. 20 New Orleans

Traffic laws, speed limits, parallel parking—they all seem beside the point in the city that ranked first for its wild weekends and quirky locals. The driving may be quirky in a less flattering way, but voters weren’t too offended: they were more interested in the great food, cafés, and bars.

See all the America’s Favorite Cities survey results!

You May Like

Read More

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Receive exclusive travel deals, insider tips, inspiration, breaking news updates, and more.
Sign up

Subscribe & Save

Subscribe today for just $1 an issue!
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Sign Up for our Newsletter

Receive exclusive travel deals, insider tips, inspiration, breaking news updates, and more.
Sign up
Travel + Leisure
TRAVEL
  • Travel Guides
  • Hotels + Resorts
  • Travel News
  • Travel Tips
  • Travel Videos
  • Flight Deals
TRAVEL + LEISURE
  • T+L Travel Guide App
  • World's Best Awards
  • Best Travel Agents
  • Romantic Travel
  • Cruises
  • Weekend Getaways
  • Food + Drink
  • Travel Tech
  • Attractions
  • Check-In
CONTACT
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Give a Gift
  • Reprints
  • Sitemap
  • Travel Sitemap
  • Ad Choices
COMPANY
  • Careers
  • Time Inc. Corporate Site
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your California Privacy Rights
© 2018 Time Inc. Affluent Media Group. All rights reserved. TravelandLeisure.com is part of the Affluent Travel Group. Travel + Leisure is a trademark of Time Inc. Affluent Media Group, registered in the United States and other countries. Travel + Leisure may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.