NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Allstate released a
new survey today revealing that more than a third (35 percent) of
U.S. drivers say wet winter driving stresses them out, and almost
half (48 percent) are concerned by the prospecti — all
while the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is
predicting an especially wet winter for much of the country.
The Allstate winter-driving survey is being released in
conjunction with the 2017 Allstate America's Best Drivers
Report®ii winter data, which ranks
the top 200 cities with the safest drivers when rain and snow are
part of the equation. Coming in as the safest-driving city when
factoring in precipitation is Kansas
City, Kansas, reclaiming its top spot from two years
ago.
"As part of Allstate's safe-driving legacy, we're shining a
light on our country's safest drivers and helping communities
across the country stay vigilant on the road, especially during
winter and the holiday travel season," said Glenn Shapiro, Allstate's chief claims officer.
"Just as you would grab an umbrella or coat when heading out the
door, Allstate encourages everyone to take the appropriate
precautions to ensure they arrive at their destinations
safely."
Those precautions are especially important for drivers this
winter, with NOAA predicting wetter-than-average conditions across
most of the northern United States
in its recently released annual Climate Prediction Center's U.S.
Winter Outlook.iii
To determine the precipitation-based rankings, Allstate
researchers use a predictive model that standardizes the rankings
to account for the fact that weather conditions affect road safety
and vary dramatically across the United
States. Allstate is recognizing the cities that topped the
report and offering tips to help people across the country drive
safely.
The top 10 safest-driving cities when precipitation and
collisions are taken into account:
City & Average
Annual
Precipitation Ranking
|
NOAA 30-Year
Average Precipitation
(inches/year)
|
Average
Years
Between Claims
|
Ranking After
Controlling for
Precipitation Average
|
1.
Kansas City, Kansas
|
39.1
|
14.9
|
3
|
2.
Brownsville, Texas
|
27.4
|
14.5
|
4
|
3.
Huntsville, Alabama
|
54.3
|
12.4
|
33
|
4.
Cape Coral, Florida
|
55.9
|
12.2
|
17
|
5.
Port St. Lucie, Florida
|
63.7
|
12.0
|
20
|
6.
Madison, Wisconsin
|
37.3
|
12.5
|
2
|
7.
Olathe, Kansas
|
41.9
|
11.8
|
13
|
8.
Laredo, Texas
|
20.2
|
12.0
|
5
|
9.
Boise, Idaho
|
11.7
|
12.0
|
6
|
10. McAllen,
Texas
|
19.5
|
11.8
|
7
|
While the Allstate survey found that only a quarter (26 percent)
of American drivers feel confident in their winter driving
abilities, a resounding 92 percent take active steps to better
prepare themselves for slick roads, including increasing following
distance behind another vehicle (78 percent) and checking the
weather before heading out (70 percent). According to NOAA,
preparations like these are key to navigating potentially harsh
conditions.
"NOAA shares advanced seasonal outlooks to help communities
prepare for what's likely to come in the next few months and
minimize the winter weather's impact on lives and livelihoods,"
said Mike Halpert, deputy director
of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. "Empowering people with
actionable forecasts and winter weather tips is key to NOAA's
efforts in building a weather-ready nation."
To help keep precipitation from causing a collision, Allstate
offers these tips:
- Do a systems check: Make sure your headlights and brake
lights are in working condition, along with tires, heater,
defroster, brakes and windshield wipers, and that you have enough
windshield washer fluid.
- Play it safe: Don't drive through standing water on
roads or in parking lots — it can stall your engine. Take an
alternate route.
- Take it easy: Give yourself extra time to get where
you're going. Increasing following distance, traveling at slower
speeds and accounting for the extra stopping time will help avoid
collisions.
- Stay alert: Give the road your undivided attention.
That's especially important with slick streets and 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 your vehicle that way. Release the
accelerator until traction returns.
- Have an emergency kit: Include the tools you will need
to protect yourself should a problem arise. Gloves, boots,
blankets, flares, water, jumper cables, a flashlight and something
for traction, such as sand or cat litter, are all helpful items to
have in the car.
- Party smart: Especially during the busy holiday travel
season, including one of the most deadly days on the road —
New Year's Dayiv —
Allstate strongly urges drivers to plan ahead and always find a
sober ride home before partaking in holiday festivities.
For more than a decade, Allstate has been leading the
conversation about safe driving, with efforts like its America's
Best Drivers Report and the Reality Rides® driving
simulator designed to educate communities on this important issue
while celebrating the drivers already doing their part to keep
roads safe.
Visit Allstate.com/BestDriversReport for an interactive map and
full results for this year, as well as rankings in previous years'
reports. For more safe-driving tips and information, visit The
Allstate Blog or contact an Allstate agency owner.
About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest
publicly held personal lines insurer, protecting approximately 16
million households from life's uncertainties through auto, home,
life and other insurance offered through its Allstate, Esurance,
Encompass and Answer Financial brand names. Allstate is widely
known through the slogan "You're In Good Hands With
Allstate®." Allstate agencies are in virtually every
local community in America.
_______________________________________
i The 2017 Allstate Wet Winter Weather Driving survey
was conducted by YouGov Plc from October
27-30, 2017. The survey was conducted online among 1,189
adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of
all US adults (aged 18+).
ii The Allstate America's Best Drivers
Report® tabulates property damage frequency of
Allstate insured drivers from 2013-2014. The report analyzes the
200 largest cities from the U.S. Census Bureau's Annual Estimates
of the Population for Incorporated Places over 50,000, measured for
2014 as of July 1, 2015. In prior
years, neighboring cities that shared zip codes also shared
rankings. This only impacted a minimal number of cities; however,
since 2014, the report used geolocation to increase accuracy and
there are no longer shared rankings. U.S. Census Bureau estimates
of land area were combined with population estimates to determine
population density. The Allstate Best Drivers Report is produced
solely to boost the country's discussion about safe driving and to
increase awareness of the importance of being safe and attentive
behind the wheel. The report is not used to determine auto
insurance rates.
iii National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, U.S. Winter Outlook: NOAA forecasters
predict cooler, wetter North and warmer, drier South
iv 2016, Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety: www.iihs.org
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