It's Official: Austin Motorists Don't Know How To Drive In Rain

AUSTIN, TEXAS —Wet, wintry weather exacerbated by El Niño amid the peak holiday travel season, makes for stress-inducing, dangerous road conditions. And like a good neighbor, Allstate has released its 2018 America’s Best Drivers Report, ranking the country’s largest 200 cities in determining which have the safest drivers when rain and snow are part of the equation.

Let's get the unpleasantries out of the way, though. According to the report, Austin drivers don't fare too well in the reckoning, ranked 158. This isn't in the report, but Austin drivers simply don't seem to know how to drive in the rain, instead succumbing to freaking out at the first hint of precipitation as if they've seen rain, let alone, snow in their lives. Oh, and another thing: Austin drivers don't bother to slow down on slick roads, forgetting that rain-slicked streets are slippery to the point where they're harder to negotiate. It's so infuriating! Why, if Patch, Austin, had a dime every time a driver...

Sorry.

Back to the Allstate report. With large swaths of the southern and eastern U.S. – including Austin – in store for a wetter than average winter according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this ranking could be put to the test during the holiday travel season and beyond, officials said.

Notwithstanding Austin and its, um, rain-challenged drivers, four of the country's top 10 safest cities for driving happen to be in the Lone Star State — Brownsville, Laredo, Midland and McAllen. Brownsville reclaimed the top spot from two years ago after dropping to second last year,officials noted.

"With large swaths of the Southern United States in store for a wetter-than-average winter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[ii], those rankings could be put to the test during the holiday travel season and beyond," officials said.

The second installment of the 2018 America’s Best Drivers Report ranks the country’s largest 200 cities to determine which have the safest drivers when precipitation is part of the equation, Allstate officials said. This year’s top spot goes to Brownsville, Texas, reclaiming the honor from two years ago after dropping to second last year.

“You may be surprised to know that even in warmer climates, winter weather can create dangerous driving conditions, making it more important than ever to be vigilant behind the wheel and aware of how rain and snow can impact roads,” Ken Rosen, Allstate’s chief claims officer. “Allstate releases the America’s Best Drivers Report each year to draw attention to the critical community issue of safe driving. By celebrating the safest driving cities and lending a hand in bottom-ranked cities, we want to help Americans protect themselves before they get on the roads this holiday season — and ultimately help save lives.”

The precipitation rankings are an extension of the standard America’s Best Drivers Report, released in August. To determine the precipitation factor, Allstate researchers use a predictive model that standardizes the rankings to account for the fact that weather conditions vary dramatically across the United States and affect roadway safety. Allstate is recognizing the top-performing cities in rain or snow and offering tips to help people across the country drive safely.

The top 10 safest-driving cities when precipitation is factored into collision frequency, along with the 30-year average precipitation for each one:

1. Brownsville, Texas, 27.4

2. Kansas City, Kansas, 39.1

3. Huntsville, Alabama, 54.3

4. Boise, Idaho, 11.7

5. Madison, Wisconsin, 34.5

6. Cape Coral, Florida, 57.1

7. Laredo, Texas, 20.2

8. Midland, Texas, 14.8

9. Fort Collins, Colorado, 16.1

10. McAllen, Texas, 19.5

NOAA predicts a 70 to 75 percent chance of El Niño developing – making for a wet winter along the southern tip of the U.S. and into the Mid-Atlantic region. Warmer, drier conditions are anticipated for much of the northern and western parts of the country.

Among cities with the biggest improvements when precipitation is factored with collision frequency is Pasadena, Texas, up ten spots to garner the 81st slot.

“NOAA’s annual winter weather outlook helps Americans to prepare for the possible dangers of the season and take precautions with their families and homes,” Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, said. “A weak El Niño is anticipated to develop, and it may impact the winter season by bringing wetter conditions across parts of the southern United States, and warmer, drier conditions in parts of the North."

Give yourself time to stop in slick roads

It’s even more important to give yourself enough time to stop when roads are wet, Allstate officials noted. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, braking distance on wet roads increases 27 percent versus stopping on dry roads when traveling at 55 miles per hour – and that number increases when rain turns to snow or ice.

Allstate cleverly inserts a plug for one of its products, but it's a useful — and potentially life-saving — one. Drivers can prepare for winter weather conditions by monitoring their driving with innovative telematics programs like Allstate’s Drivewise®, which Allstate uses to study the correlation between collisions and hard-braking events. Hard-braking events are defined as slowing down by 8 mph or more per second and can indicate unsafe driving behaviors, such as following too closely, or aggressive or distracted driving.

More safety tips for the holidays and beyond

• Do a systems check: Make sure your headlights and brake lights work, and check tires, heater, defroster, brakes, windshield wipers and windshield washer fluid level.
• Use an alternate route: Don’t drive through standing water on roads or in parking lots – it can stall your engine.
• Take it easy: Give yourself extra time to get where you’re going. Increasing following distance, traveling at slower speeds and accounting for extra stopping time will help avoid collisions.
• Stay alert: Give the road your undivided attention. That’s especially important with slick streets and other potentially dangerous conditions.
• Don’t panic: If your vehicle begins to slide or skid, don’t slam on the brakes. Look down the road in the direction you want to go and gently steer that way. Release the accelerator until traction returns.
• Have an emergency kit: Gloves, boots, blankets, flares, water, jumper cables, a flashlight and something for traction – like sand or cat litter – could all come in handy if a problem arises.
• Download Drivewise: Free to any consumer, Drivewise provides personalized, real-time driving feedback – such as how many hard-braking events you have – and allows you to earn rewards for safe driving.

In the 14th year of the America’s Best Drivers Report, Allstate is bringing attention to the critical community issue of safe driving in a new way, officials said. Allstate is encouraging youth to flip the script and take charge of this important conversation by advocating for safe driving among their parents, role models and friends.

To join the conversation, like and share the new Good Driving Starts Young Facebook page. And for more safe driving tips, check out The Allstate Blog.

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