Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of NHTSA data, the safest city to drive in among ranked US cities is O'fallon, MO with 0.2 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents per year (Road Danger Score 1/100), vs a US average of 12.3.
Lowest Traffic-Fatality Rates
Cities of 25,000+ residents ranked by lowest 5-year traffic deaths per 100,000 residents from NHTSA FARS.
| # | City | Danger Score | Deaths per 100K/yr | Deaths (5-Yr) | Alcohol % | Speeding % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | O'fallon, MO | 1/100 | 0.2 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 2 | Rockville, MD | 1/100 | 0.3 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 3 | Sammamish, WA | 1/100 | 0.3 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 4 | Bowie, MD | 1/100 | 0.4 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 5 | Haverford Township, PA | 1/100 | 0.4 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 6 | Mount Pleasant, SC | 1/100 | 0.4 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 7 | Bountiful, UT | 1/100 | 0.4 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 8 | Frederick, MD | 1/100 | 0.5 | 2 | 50% | 100% |
| 9 | Edmonds, WA | 1/100 | 0.5 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 10 | Grand Blanc Township, MI | 1/100 | 0.5 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 11 | Syracuse, UT | 1/100 | 0.5 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 12 | Carpentersville, IL | 2/100 | 0.5 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 13 | Cranberry Township, PA | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 14 | Brunswick, OH | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 15 | Gaithersburg, MD | 2/100 | 0.6 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 16 | Long Beach, NY | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 17 | Pullman, WA | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 18 | Mount Lebanon, PA | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 19 | Bethel Park Borough, PA | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 20 | West Bend, WI | 2/100 | 0.6 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 21 | Manheim Township, PA | 2/100 | 0.6 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 22 | Algonquin, IL | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 23 | Independence, KY | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 24 | Westtown-East Goshen Regional, PA | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 25 | Los Altos, CA | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 26 | Marysville, OH | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 27 | South Jordan, UT | 2/100 | 0.7 | 3 | 0% | 67% |
| 28 | Horsham Township, PA | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| 29 | Somerville, MA | 2/100 | 0.7 | 3 | 33% | 0% |
| 30 | Tualatin, OR | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 31 | Shaler Township, PA | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 32 | Wilmette, IL | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| 33 | Moscow, ID | 2/100 | 0.7 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 34 | Edina, MN | 3/100 | 0.7 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 35 | Moon Township, PA | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 36 | Newberg-Dundee, OR | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 37 | Ossining Village, NY | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 38 | Raymore, MO | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 100% | 100% |
| 39 | Belmont, CA | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 40 | Fulshear, TX | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 41 | Salem, VA | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 0% |
| 42 | Muskego, WI | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 43 | De Pere, WI | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 100% | 0% |
| 44 | Middleboro, MA | 3/100 | 0.8 | 1 | 0% | 100% |
| 45 | Evanston, IL | 3/100 | 0.8 | 3 | 0% | 33% |
| 46 | Apex, NC | 3/100 | 0.8 | 3 | 0% | 33% |
| 47 | Covina, CA | 3/100 | 0.8 | 2 | 0% | 100% |
| 48 | Beverly, MA | 3/100 | 0.9 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 49 | Annapolis, MD | 3/100 | 1.0 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 50 | Lake Oswego, OR | 3/100 | 1.0 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 51 | San Luis, AZ | 3/100 | 1.0 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 52 | Calexico, CA | 3/100 | 1.0 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 53 | Streamwood, IL | 3/100 | 1.1 | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 54 | Natick, MA | 3/100 | 1.1 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 55 | Watertown, MA | 3/100 | 1.1 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 56 | Waukee, IA | 4/100 | 1.2 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 57 | Ames, IA | 4/100 | 1.2 | 4 | 25% | 0% |
| 58 | Wallkill Town, NY | 4/100 | 1.3 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 59 | Arlington, MA | 4/100 | 1.3 | 3 | 0% | 0% |
| 60 | Bellevue, WA | 4/100 | 1.3 | 10 | 0% | 20% |
| 61 | Cary, NC | 4/100 | 1.3 | 12 | 18% | 36% |
| 62 | City Of Santee, CA | 4/100 | 1.3 | 4 | 25% | 25% |
| 63 | Burlington, VT | 4/100 | 1.3 | 3 | 33% | 33% |
| 64 | Shaker Heights, OH | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 65 | Maple Valley, WA | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 66 | Saratoga Springs, NY | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 67 | Danville, CA | 4/100 | 1.4 | 3 | 33% | 33% |
| 68 | Suisun City, CA | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 100% |
| 69 | Huntley, IL | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 70 | New Lenox, IL | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 50% |
| 71 | Jenks, OK | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 72 | Windsor, CA | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 73 | Glen Cove, NY | 4/100 | 1.4 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 74 | Waterford Township, MI | 4/100 | 1.4 | 5 | 0% | 20% |
| 75 | Redmond, WA | 4/100 | 1.5 | 6 | 17% | 50% |
| 76 | Belmont, MA | 4/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 77 | Dublin, CA | 4/100 | 1.5 | 5 | 25% | 25% |
| 78 | Bristol Township, PA | 5/100 | 1.5 | 4 | 0% | 25% |
| 79 | Plymouth Township, MI | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 0% | 100% |
| 80 | Rexburg, ID | 5/100 | 1.5 | 3 | 33% | 0% |
| 81 | Vernon Hills, IL | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 82 | Norfolk, NE | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 83 | Austin, MN | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 84 | Lower Providence Township, PA | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 85 | Kirkland, WA | 5/100 | 1.5 | 7 | 0% | 29% |
| 86 | Medina, OH | 5/100 | 1.5 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 87 | Doral, FL | 5/100 | 1.6 | 6 | 0% | 0% |
| 88 | Mequon, WI | 5/100 | 1.6 | 2 | 50% | 100% |
| 89 | Peekskill, NY | 5/100 | 1.6 | 2 | 50% | 0% |
| 90 | Perrysburg, OH | 5/100 | 1.6 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 91 | South Pasadena, CA | 5/100 | 1.6 | 2 | 50% | 50% |
| 92 | Cibolo, TX | 5/100 | 1.6 | 3 | 0% | 100% |
| 93 | Derry Township, PA | 5/100 | 1.6 | 2 | 0% | 0% |
| 94 | Wylie, TX | 5/100 | 1.6 | 5 | 20% | 60% |
| 95 | Appleton, WI | 5/100 | 1.6 | 6 | 17% | 67% |
| 96 | Pleasant Grove, UT | 5/100 | 1.6 | 3 | 33% | 33% |
| 97 | Upper Darby Township, PA | 5/100 | 1.7 | 7 | 14% | 0% |
| 98 | Wenatchee, WA | 5/100 | 1.7 | 3 | 0% | 0% |
| 99 | Springville, UT | 6/100 | 1.7 | 3 | 0% | 33% |
| 100 | Upper Arlington, OH | 6/100 | 1.7 | 3 | 33% | 33% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the safest city to drive in?
O'fallon, MO has the lowest traffic-fatality rate among ranked US cities: 0.2 deaths per 100,000 residents per year (most recent five-year period, NHTSA FARS), a Road Danger Score of 1/100.
Why do these cities have low traffic-fatality rates?
Across these 100 cities, an average of 20% of fatal crashes involved a drinking driver and 30% involved speeding (NHTSA FARS, most recent five-year period). These shares run lower than the most-dangerous-city list, though road type, speed limits, and traffic volume also shape the outcome.
How is the Road Danger Score calculated?
The Road Danger Score is a percentile ranking from 1 to 100 based on each city's five-year traffic-fatality rate (deaths per 100,000 residents per year) from NHTSA FARS data: 100 = most dangerous to drive in, 1 = safest. See the methodology page for the full formula.