There are those who may have a hard time believing it, but a national insurance company says it's all based on data. Reno Allstate Agent Matt Callahan says they use "Collision incidents that we have in our 200 most populated cities."
Crash frequency data, number crunched every year, this year putting Reno in the top-10 safest list. For the second year in a row, we're the 8th safest city to drive in. Much safer than Las Vegas, which is one of the country's most dangerous:
Allstate Best Drivers Report 2012
2012 2011 compared to U.S.
Reno #8 #8 -18.4%
Las Vegas #136 #138 +16.7%
Sioux Falls SD #1 #1 -27.6%
8th safest driver city means those of us in Reno will have a collision, on average, once every 12 years. Why do we do so well? Agent Matt credits "The new laws that went into effect, that limit what people are doing on their cellphones."
Reno agent Dennis Callahan points to big improvements to roads that brought a lot of accident claims to their Reno Allstate office, but not so many now. As he told us, "All you have to do is drive through the Spaghetti Bowl area and see the changes that have been made. The changes they made to Moana Lane and some of the major intersections around town, I think that has helped."
Dennis has been an agent here since 1972, and he's noticed something else. New cars are now so safe, that for the first time in his career a new car will cost less to insure than a cheaper used car.
But bigger dangers remain, like distractions...drunk driving...speeders. Matt also pointed to "People not giving themselves enough time to get where they're going, and not being tolerant of the drivers around them."
All of which will be on full display this weekend, one of the busiest on the roads. AAA says 33 million Americans will take advantage of summer's last gasp to get behind the wheel for a trip. 2.4 million in the Mountain West will travel this weekend, an over-3% increase from Labor Day last year.
-written by John Potter
