Are you more likely to get in a car crash in Raleigh or Charlotte? What new report says

Car crashes can happen anywhere, but a new report sheds light on which cities have more — and fewer — auto accidents than others.

A Forbes report of the 50 U.S. cities where drivers are most likely to get into car crashes shows that Raleigh is “the U.S. city where motorists have the lowest risk of becoming involved in a motor vehicle accident.”

The study used research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Allstate showing accident locations across the United States, and based its ranking on the car accident fatality rate per 100,000 people, the relative likeliness of a collision, and the average years between collisions.

Across the state, Charlotte ranked 12th on the list of cities where you’re most likely to be involved in an accident.

Here’s how the two cities compared:

Charlotte, NC (#12)

• Fatality rate per 100,000 population: 11.2

• Average years between collisions: 7.78

• Relative collision likelihood: 36%

Raleigh (#50)

• Fatality rate per 100,000 population: 3.8

• Average years between collisions: 9.38

• Relative collision likelihood: 12.7%

“The top cities for traffic accidents can be found all across the United States, but some of the highest risk areas are concentrated along the coasts and in metro areas with large populations and limited public transportation systems,” the Forbes report states.

Here’s which other U.S. cities were among the top places where you’re most likely to get into a car accident:

1. Atlanta, GA

2. Dallas, TX

3. Baltimore, MD

4. Detroit, MI

5. Philadelphia, PA

6. Memphis, TN

7. Fresno, CA

8. Houston, TX

9. Louisville, KY

10. Los Angeles, CA

You can find the full report of cities with the most car crashes online here.

This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 6:00 AM.

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription