State College, Altoona make the list for worst drivers in Pennsylvania. See the rankings [Centre Daily Times (State College, Pa.)]

Oct. 11—Some of the worst drivers in the commonwealth call central Pennsylvania home, according to a new study released this year.

Both Altoona and State College found themselves among the top 10 "Worst Drivers by City" rankings published through QuoteWizard, an insurance comparison shopping and research tool housed within the LendingTree network of personal finance services. The study evaluated driving behaviors and analyzed insurance quotes to determine overall driving quality throughout Pennsylvania.

Here's what you need to know about driving quality in Pennsylvania, according to QuoteWizard's report.

Where are the worst drivers in Pennsylvania?

According to QuoteWizard's analysis, no city in Pennsylvania has worse drivers than Altoona, which took the top spot in the tool's "Worst Drivers by City" rankings this summer. State College, meanwhile, ranked No. 9, while Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, finished in the No. 10 spot.

Worst Drivers by City (Pennsylvania)

1. Altoona

2. Cranberry Township

3. Cheltenham

4. Bethel Park

5. Erie

6. Pittsburgh

7. Upper Darby

8. Hazleton

9. State College

10. Harrisburg

On the flip side, no Pennsylvania community has better drivers than Haverford, according to QuoteWizard's report. The Delaware County locale joined Philadelphia, Scranton, Allentown and more among the "Best Drivers by City" rankings this year.

Best Drivers by City (Pennsylvania)

1. Haverford

2. Penn Hills

3. Warminster

4. Norristown

5. Allentown

6. Philadelphia

7. Bensalem

8. Abington

9. Scranton

10. Monroeville

Overall, Pennsylvania drivers ranked 16th in the nation when QuoteWizard compiled a report of the best and worst drivers by state. The analysis found Connecticut has the best drivers in the country, while Utah is home to the worst.

In its methodology report, QuoteWizard says it analyzed more than 100,000 car insurance quotes to determine the best and worst-driving cities in Pennsylvania. The study also evaluated undesirable driving outcomes — including the number of accidents, citations, speeding tickets and drunk-driving incidents — plus Federal Highway Administration data regarding infrastructure conditions.

QuoteWizard claims an increasing number of potholes and "failing road infrastructure" cost Pennsylvania drivers an average of $620 each year. The commonwealth ranked seventh-worst overall when the tool issued a national report on infrastructure conditions in March.

Generally, younger drivers in Pennsylvania are significantly more likely to cause a driving incident than middle-aged drivers, QuoteWizard found. Drivers under 20 years old owned a 4.44% incident rate through the tool's 2023 study, far exceeding the 3.16% clip for drivers between 20 and 29 and the 1.79% rate for drivers between 30 and 39. Drivers between 70 and 79 produced the lowest incident rate in Pennsylvania (1.36%).

Staying safe on Pennsylvania roads

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation maintains a number of guides and brochures offering safety tips for Pennsylvania drivers, all available online at no cost.

To put things simply, PennDOT encourages drivers to "Start SMART and Stay SMART" — a pair of acronyms offering straightforward roadway safety tips.

Start SMART

— S — Seat belt on, seat adjusted

— M — Mirrors adjusted and clear

— A — Air conditioning, heating and defrost panels on

— R — Radio and audio panel set

— T — Thoroughly check the area for traffic, people and objects

Stay SMART

— S — Watch your speed

— M — Frequently check your mirrors

— A — Avoid distractions

— R — Remember the rules of the road

— T — Give yourself enough time to reach your destination

Visit penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/TrafficSafetyAndDriverTopics/Pages/default.aspx to learn more about pedestrian safety, driving in the fall and winter, assisting young and old motorists, avoiding distracted driving and more.

This story was originally published October 11, 2023, 11:42 AM.

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