Safe drivers face higher premiums due to reckless neighbors

East Coast drivers have been identified as the most dangerous in the United States, according to Allstate's 2025 America's Best Drivers Report. This report ranks cities based on accident damage claims from the 200 most populous cities across the country. The data used for this analysis was collected between January 2022 and December 2023.

Insurify, a car insurance comparison platform, analyzed its proprietary data to assess how driver behavior impacts insurance premiums in both the safest and most dangerous cities listed by Allstate.

The findings reveal that safe drivers residing in high-risk areas face significantly higher insurance costs. In the ten most dangerous cities, full coverage averages $3,538 annually for those with clean driving records — an increase of 84% compared to the $1,926 average premium in the ten safest cities.

Sara Getman, a content editor at Insurify who commutes in Boston — ranked as Allstate’s most dangerous city — shared her experiences: “I’ve seen people driving on the wrong side of the road and on sidewalks multiple times. I’ve seen drivers texting on their phones and almost killing runners and cyclists.” Despite maintaining a clean record, Getman pays over $2,400 annually for full coverage.

Seven out of ten cities with high collision rates are located in the Northeast region, including Baltimore, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. Population density is cited as a contributing factor to crash risk and insurance pricing; Boston has about 14,000 residents per square mile. In contrast, Brownsville, Texas — deemed Allstate’s safest city — has one-tenth of Boston's population density.

Daniel Lucas from Insurify commented on urban planning issues affecting these rates: “They are not driver-friendly or safe.”

For drivers in high-risk areas looking to save on car insurance premiums, comparing quotes from different insurers can be beneficial since each company assesses risk differently. Alternatives such as pay-per-mile insurance may also offer savings for those who drive less frequently or rely more on public transportation.

“If you’re a driver who doesn’t commute long distances and you demonstrate you’re not driving in these dangerous cities that much, you should be able to save on premiums,” Lucas advised. He also suggested using alternative transportation methods like biking or taking public transit to reduce daily driving costs further.