Allstate compiles the America’s Best Drivers Report each year, using data on vehicle damage claims and cities’ average annual precipitation.
Huntsville, Alabama, made the list at number six. With average rainfall of 54.3 inches per year and 12.5 average years between car accidents per driver, Allstate considers it in the top 10 safest driving cities in rain and snow.
What makes rain so dangerous?
While Alabama doesn’t see much snow, that state receives a lot of rain. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) studied driving data in rain, sleet, snow and fog. According to their study, the highest number of car accidents occurs on wet roadways (73 percent) and in the rain (46 percent).
Car accidents involving bad weather conditions injure over 445,000 people on average every year. Nearly 6,000 people die in weather-related vehicle accidents annually.
Rain causes two main problems for drivers:
- Wet roads decrease a vehicle’s traction, making it harder to stop.
- Rain reduces a driver’s visibility.
Unfortunately, rain is so common-and typically not considered as dangerous as ice or snow-that drivers often forget to take precautions. But it’s clear that drivers should be more careful and take care not to speed when it’s raining or the roads are wet.
Driving and accidents are on the rise
The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that Americans drove over three percent more miles in 2015 than in 2014. This may not sound like much, but it is the most significant driving increase in more than 20 years.
More driving leads to more car accidents. If you are injured due to another driver’s negligence, make sure you get the compensation you need from the insurance company.
