BUFFALO, N.Y. — A recent study has revealed Buffalo is the safest large metro area to drive in fall. Fatal crashes decreased by 27.9% between summer and fall. The research, conducted by car accident experts at Auto Accident Team, looked at fatal crash data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2013 to 2022.
The study's goal was to find which areas were the most dangerous to drive in the fall. The experts compared the total number of fatal crashes for fall against the total in summer in each area. Metro areas with populations over one million were compared for a more representative comparison.
“Fall driving can always be tricky compared to summer. The weather gets colder and wetter, and the days get shorter. These all make collisions on the road more likely," Auto Accident Team CEO Leo Danconia said.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the second safest, with a 15.2% decrease in fatal crashes between summer and fall. Kansas City, Missouri ranks third, with 10.6% decrease.
The most dangerous area for fall driving was reported to be Raleigh-Cary, North Carolina. The metro area has reported fatal crashes increased by 20.3% between summer and fall.
“Drivers can take steps to keep themselves as safe as possible on the road as fall sets in. Drive more defensively, leave larger following distances, and keep harsh acceleration and braking to a minimum, which will help you keep control of your car in bad weather. This will also give you more time to react if something unexpected is on the road, like an animal or a pool of standing water," Danconia said. “Vehicles should be well maintained and properly equipped for the bad weather. This is particularly important for tires. Drivers should make sure their tires are designed for fall weather and that they are in good condition with sufficient tread, since this will maximize grip as the roads get colder and wetter.”
The top 10 safest driving cities for fall are as follows:
- Buffalo, NY - 27.9% decrease
- Pittsburgh ,PA - 15.2% decrease
- Kansas City, MO - 10.6% decrease
- Nashville, TN - 10% decrease
- Denver, CO - 9.8% decrease
- Milwaukee, WI - 9.5% decrease
- Tulsa, OK - 9.4% decrease
- Detroit, MI - 8.2% decrease
- Memphis, TN - 8% decrease
- Chicago, IL - 7.8% decrease
To learn more, the data used by the Auto Accident Team study was from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration which can be found here and United States Census Bureau which can be found here.
