Allstate Insurance recently completed an analysis of the best drivers in America by reviewing the frequency of property damage caused by drivers insured by Allstate from 2013-2014.  The analysis and conclusions were published in a report that looks at the 200 biggest cities (as identified by U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Estimates) in the United States.  The purpose of the study was to contribute to the ongoing discussion of driving safely and attentively behind the wheel – particularly, as to the popular driving season in the summer.  For our purposes, the study concluded that Atlanta had some of the worst drivers in the country and that 183 of the biggest cities in the United States had safer drivers than us.  FYI, Boston was the worst with a rank of 200 – I think the haphazard road and highway configuration is to blame…. Brownsville, Texas had the safest drivers…

Of course, Allstate has a vested interest in the results of the study as Allstate’s general aim is to take in insurance premiums from customers and minimize payouts to persons injured and property damaged by Allstate insured drivers.  As an interesting side note, I read that Allstate recently requested (from Georgia Insurance Commissioner – aka rubber stamp) and received a 25% increase in the premiums it charges in the State of Georgia.  And, sure enough, I checked the price of my renewal of office insurance policy and it increased exactly by 25%.

Some other general statistics gleaned from the study reflect that the average driver will be involved in a collision (there are no accidents – just negligence of behalf of the motorist) at least once every 10 years and that distracted driving causes 26% of motor vehicle collisions. Allstate polled more than 4,500 drivers and published some interesting statistics on distracted driving:  37% of motorists talk on the phone while driving; 39% of motorists say texting is largest contributor of distracting driving; 34.3% of motorists say their ability to talk on the cellphone or text while driving is poor (while less than 1% say it is excellent); 60.4% say texting and distracted driving is about as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; and 35.7% of the motorists know someone who has been involved in a car crash caused by distracted drivers. For more information in a well-written blog on distracted driving, please click here, here, here and finally here.

I remember the day and the time that it happened to me.  It was a Saturday night around 11 p.m. in the mid 90s and I was leaving a restaurant in a small retail shopping center in Atlanta near Collier Road after meeting with some friends.  I walked out into the parking lot and spent over 10 minutes looking for my car. I retraced my exact steps when I initially arrived at the restaurant from parking the car and walking into the restaurant. I attempted this fruitless maneuver several times without success.  At this point, I was a little concerned.  I knew that I only had two drinks at a nearby restaurant and that my inability to find my car was not based on my intoxication or lack of familiarity with the surroundings.

I decided to walk one more time to what I thought was my initial parking spot.  I looked all around and didn’t see the car.  Then, I decided to look down.  Sure enough – there was shattered car window glass on the ground in my spot – you know, the type of glass that is shatter proof and crumbles upon impact.  At this point, I called the Atlanta Police Department and filed my stolen car report.  APD found my car the next day near the water treatment plant.  Some perps had stolen the vehicle for a joyride and damaged the vehicle beyond its fair market value – not hard to do, as this was a late model Pontiac Bonneville.  Fortunately, I had the right type of auto insurance that compensated me for my loss.

What happened to me that night was not an aberration of human behavior in Atlanta?  Typically, the higher the population, the higher the incidence of crime, particularly, in a large metropolitan city.  Unfortunately, car theft, break-ins and resulting property damage in retail shopping centers in Atlanta are on the rise.