Dealing with traffic can put anyone in a bad mood, but at least you can take your mind off it if you’re the passenger. For this reason, some people chose to take public transportation or use rideshare services for getting around town. They also don’t have to worry about finding a parking space on crowded city streets.

Despite this, the majority of Americans still make their daily commutes with their own personal vehicles. Some cities are more frustrating than others due to more areas of congestion and higher accident rates. Based on a study made by Wallethub, we put together a list of the worst cities for driving in the U.S.

Detroit, MI

According to the study, Detroit ranked the lowest in terms of driver safety. Detroit has some of the highest crime rates in the entire country, and some of these involve crimes such as drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter.

This city also scored higher for break-ins and car theft. Stolen cars are so common in the city that the residents had to start a Facebook group to help each other track down car thieves. The study also found that drivers in Detroit engaged in many unsafe habits like speeding and hard-braking.

Oakland, CA

The main reason why driving a car in Oakland is such as hassle is high ownership costs. Drivers can expect to pay high gas prices, with an average of $3.50 per gallon or more. Insurance costs in California are also higher, averaging around $1700 per year.

Like Detroit, Oakland has a higher rate of crime than most cities, which is made worse due to the fact that the law officers are frequently understaffed. This leads to more traffic violations and overall discontent among drivers. The study found that car theft in Oakland is also higher than average.

Philadelphia, PA

Philly is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States due to its many national landmarks. It also has less crime than many other big cities, but it can still be a tough place to drive. The study found that car accidents were more common in Philadelphia than any other city, with the majority of them taking place on the I-95 highway. Unfortunately, many of these accidents proved fatal to the drivers. 

Additionally, Pennsylvania is known for its high humidity, especially in the summer. This can lead to many drivers getting more irritated in traffic jams, which can lead to reckless driving. The parking costs in Philadelphia are also more expensive.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco has much less overall crime than Oakland, but it still has higher gas prices than most states. Traffic violations, distracted driving, and reckless drivers are also a bigger epidemic in this city. Deaths from crashes and other motor accidents have always been high.

23 people died due to traffic accidents last year, with more than half of them being pedestrians. This could be due to higher speed limits in more populated areas, though the city is taking some steps to fix this issue.

Newark, NJ

While gas prices and crime rates are better than most, driving in the city can be very annoying in Newark. Traveling to the city is difficult due to crumbling infrastructure and narrow highways like Route 21, which can frequently get congested.

Newark also has fewer car washes than many cities, which could be bad news in weather that can damage a shiny paint job. Drivers with allergy issues may want to drive with the windows up through Newark. The air quality can get nasty due to the high amount of smog in the city.