Where Do Texas Cities Rank in Eighth Annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report?"

IRVING, Texas, Aug. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Brownsville once again tops the list as the safest driving city in Texas, according to the eighth annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report™" released today by Allstate Insurance Company. The report, based on Allstate claims data, ranks America's 200 largest cities in terms of car collision frequency to identify which cities have the safest drivers.

Brownsville ranked 25^th nationwide, coming in ahead of last year's top city in Texas, Laredo, which maintained its position at 28. Prior to 2011, Brownsville held the top spot for four straight years. According to the report, the average driver in Brownsville will experience an auto collision every 11.4 years, compared to a national average of 10.0 years. Other Texas cities beating the national average include Laredo, McAllen, Amarillo and Lubbock.

"Allstate's Best Driver's Report was created to boost the country's discussion on safe driving. Each year we hope the report will increase awareness about the importance of being tolerant and attentive behind the wheel," said Phil Lawson, Regional Vice President for Allstate's Texas Region. "We want to recognize the city of Brownsville for being the safest driving city in Texas, and whether you drive in a large city, small city or a rural area, we encourage all Americans to practice safe driving habits and good car safety."       

This year's top honor of "America's Safest Driving City" is Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the fifth time in the history of the report that the city has held the top spot. According to the report, the average driver in Sioux Falls will experience an auto collision every 13.8 years, which is 27.6 percent less likely than the national average of 10 years.

Car crash fatalities are at the lowest level they've been since 1949, but still average more than 32,000 every year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

"It is vital for us to educate American drivers about safe driving behaviors they can demonstrate on the road that will help make our roadways safer," Lawson said. "Minimizing distractions, obeying traffic laws, and using your car's safety features like turn signals and headlights, are all ways to be safer, no matter where you drive."

The Report
For the past eight years, Allstate actuaries have conducted an in-depth analysis of company claims data to determine the likelihood drivers in America's 200 largest cities will experience a vehicle collision compared to the national average. Internal property damage reported claims were analyzed over a two-year period (from January 2009 to December 2010) to ensure the findings would not be impacted by external influences such as weather or road construction.

A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages. The report defines an auto crash as any collision resulting in a property damage claim. Allstate's auto policies represent about 10% of all U.S. auto policies, making this report a realistic snapshot of what's happening on America's roadways.

Texas cities that appear in the report are ranked as follows:

To view the complete "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report," or to see previous year's results, log onto allstatenewsroom.com.

About Allstate
The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate^®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®.

Notes: The report analyzes cities from the Census Bureau's Annual Estimates of the Population for Incorporated Places over 50,000, ranked by July 1, 2011. The Allstate data excludes cities in the state of Massachusetts, as Allstate did not provide insurance in Massachusetts for the two-year time period reflected in this report. Other cities not represented by any zip codes found in Allstate data: Lakewood, Colo., Pembroke Pines, Fla and West Valley, Utah. 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 tolerant and attentive behind the wheel. The report is not used to determine auto insurance rates. A state specific adjustment was utilized for the Michigan cities to account for the unique coverage offered in that state.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company