Study: We have some of the worst drivers
Reckless driving has been a serious issue in Milwaukee for many years, and now the problem is being recognized to some degree on a national scale.
In 2022, Milwaukee County recorded 111 traffic deaths, topping a record of 101 set in 2020, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Last year, 2023, saw 92 deaths in the county, and as of Feb. 11, this year has seen four.
From 2008 to 2012, Milwaukee had an average of 39 traffic deaths per year. That average nearly doubled to 72 per year from 2018 through 2022, according to an analysis by Robert Schneider, a professor of urban planning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 2023, the city reported 74 traffic deaths, down from 77 the previous year.
In November, seven people were killed in separate car crashes within one week, leading Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson to declare a day of remembrance for victims of “traffic violence.”
Milwaukee and the surrounding areas have also been plagued by car thefts in recent years. Thefts peaked in 2021 when 10,487 cars were stolen in the city, the bulk being Kias and Hyundais. Stolen cars have been involved in several deadly and destructive crashes.
The city has instituted multiple measures to prevent reckless driving, including widespread traffic-calming projects and supporting increased resources for driver’s education.
It should come as no surprise to locals then that Forbes Advisor has ranked Milwaukee 19th on its list of “Cities
with the Worst Drivers” in the United States. Forbes took a five-year average, using National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and U.S. Census Bureau data from 2017 to 2021.
Between 2017 and 2021, Milwaukee saw an average of 10.97 fatal car accidents per 100,000 residents. The city also saw an average of 3.02 fatal accidents involving drunken drivers in the same time period.
Which cities have the worst drivers in America?
Forbes Advisor said Albuquerque, N.M., has the worst drivers in the U.S. The city had the highest number of fatal car accidents involving distracted drivers in the study, 5.42 per 100,000 residents. It also ranked third for the total number of fatal car accidents, with 17.11 per 100,000 residents. Finally, Albuquerque had the sixth-highest number of fatal accidents involving drunken drivers in the study.
Memphis, Tenn., ranked as having the second-worst drivers in the country. It had the highest number of fatal car accidents involving drunken drivers in the study, 7.5 per 100,000 residents. Memphis also had the highest total number of fatal car accidents, 24.18 per 100,000 residents.
Forbes Advisor said Detroit has the third-worst drivers of any city in the study. The Michigan city ranked second for the total number of fatal car crashes, with 19.76 per 100,000 residents. It also ranked second for the numbers of fatal accidents involving speeding, fatal accidents involving a drunken driver and people killed in crashes.