Lauderdale, Miami move up on list of safe cities to drive in

Cape Coral was the top Florida city, ranking fifth safest to drive in nationally.

Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miramar and Miami are safer to drive in than a year ago, but Pembroke Pines and Hialeah are not, according to an annual survey of 200U.S. cities.

The Allstate “America’s Best Drivers Report” ranks metropolitan areas based on a number of factors that include population density, insurance claims filed, and evenweather.

Fort Lauderdale ranks 57, upfrom61in 2016, 73 in2015 and125 in 2014.

Mayor Jack Seiler thinks a combination of factors contribute to safer driving in his city, including the Vision Zero pedestrian safety campaign, efforts to eliminate distracted driving, and ongoing development.

“People are almost forced to slow down and drive more cautiously and carefully because there’s a lot of road projects going on and a lot of construction,” he said. “Hopefully we’re getting more alert, more aware [of our driving habits].”

Miramar landed at 102, up from127; Hollywood is at 113, up from 132; Miami came in at 123, up from131 in last year’s survey.

Pembroke Pines fell to 91 from 88 and Hialeah dropped to 103 from 79, the survey said.

The American Automobile Association says surveys are open to interpretation depending on the methodology.

Some take into account everything from fatal crashes and property damage data, to asking about driving habits, to traffic ticket statistics.

Complaints include aggressiveanddistracted drivers, running red lights and stop signs, speeding, motorcycles zipping between vehicles and drivers blocking intersections.

Other Florida cities to make the 2017 Allstate list include Port St. Lucie at 8 down from 7; Tallahassee at 17, up from35; St. Petersburg at 37, up from 48; Jacksonville at 50, down from 45; Orlando 76, up from 81; Tampa at 105, up from108.

Cape Coral was the top Florida city, ranking fifth safest to drive in nationally, down from fourth safest in 2016.

Kansas City, Kan., was the safest city to drive inand Boston ranked last at 200 for a third straight year.