The first report rates Massachusetts drivers as the safest in the nation
According to a recent report from the on-line insurance agency Obrella.com, and in stark contrast to the recent report from Allstate, Massachusetts drivers are tops in the nation for safety. The insurance agency, a Clear Link Insurance Agency brand, says that it culled its list using the fatality rates per 100,000 drivers outlined in the latest “Traffic Safety Facts” report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,
Based on the statistics it reviewed, Massachusetts drivers are the safest in the nation with a total 2012 Fatality Rate of 349 deaths out of 4,734,000 licensed drivers in the state; A 7.37 percent Fatality Rate.
The following is a list of the Top Ten Safest States for Drivers in the U.S.
| SAFETY RANK | STATE | TOTAL FATALITIES | LICENSED DRIVERS | FATALITY RATE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MA | 349 | 4,734,000 | 7.37 |
| 2 | WA | 444 | 5,228,000 | 8.49 |
| 3 | RI | 64 | 750,000 | 8.54 |
| 4 | CT | 236 | 2,486,000 | 9.49 |
| 5 | NJ | 589 | 6,040,000 | 9.75 |
| 6 | NH | 108 | 1,065,000 | 10.14 |
| 7 | NY | 1,168 | 11,249,000 | 10.38 |
| 8 | AK | 59 | 526,000 | 11.21 |
| 9 | IL | 956 | 8,236,000 | 11.61 |
| 10 | CA | 2,857 | 24,201,000 | 11.81 |
To see the complete list of all 50 states, continue on to the Obrella.com site here
A second report ranks Boston as one of the safest U.S. cities for pedestrians
Boston is the second safest city for pedestrians in the nation, just after Seattle says Liberty Mutual in its recent Pedestrian Safety
Index Survey. The study was commissioned in response to the growing pedestrian population across the nation which saw that particular population rise by 24 million people alone between the years of 2005 and 2010.
“We are seeing a dangerously high rate of pedestrian injuries and fatalities across the country, so it’s promising to see cities like Seattle dedicating the necessary resources to ensure the safety of their citizens,” said David Melton, managing director of global safety and driving safety expert with Liberty Mutual Insurance. “The goal of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Pedestrian Safety Index is to recognize the U.S. cities that are taking exceptional measures to keep their streets safe and to help others across the country learn from those best practices.”
As for Boston, the city was ranked as the second safest city in the country after Seattle. while it did not come out number one this year, the Boston-based insurer says there is a lot that the city is doing right for its pedestrian population. In particular, the city was cited for the following things it has done to make the city more pedestrian friendly:
In Boston, pedestrians walk safely thanks to the installation of 195 traffic-monitoring cameras, more than 3,600 public safety signs posted annually, and more than 90 city traffic signals retimed in 2013. Residents have taken note of the city’s efforts with 97 percent reporting that the city is proactive in fostering pedestrian safety.
To compile and rank the cities, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Pedestrian Safety Index reviewed government data as well as conducting a consumer perception survey of more than 2,500 adults. Based on these factors, Seattle, Boston and Washington, D.C. rose to the top of the list as the safest cities for pedestrians, followed by San Francisco and New York:
| Top 15 Safest U.S. Cities for Pedestrians |
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“Our research demonstrates that people realize the danger of risky behaviors, such as texting or talking on a phone while walking or driving, but the majority of Americans adopts an ‘it won’t happen to me’ attitude,” said Melton. “The Liberty Mutual Insurance Pedestrian Safety Index reveals that the combination of simple, yet essential, city-wide safety features – from lighted crosswalks to bike lanes, attentive pedestrians, and a zero-tolerance policy for cell phone use behind the wheel means safer cities for pedestrians.”
