Why Are More Drivers Engaging in Dangerous Behavior in Phoenix and Tucson?

Even though car accidents can happen anywhere, certain areas or locations tend to experience more dangerous driving behaviors that lead to accidents than others. Tucson and Phoenix, AZ are two of the cities with the most dangerous drivers.

A recent article published by Forbes ranked Tucson as fourth and Phoenix as eighth among the worst cities across the United States for the most dangerous drivers. Their research and findings are based on how many fatal car accidents occurred, how many people were killed in car accidents, how many people died in speed-related accidents, how many people died in drunk driving accidents, and how many people were killed in accidents that involved distracted driving.

Tucson: 4^th city with the most dangerous drivers

• The total score given to Tucson was 93.02 out of 100.
• Tucson ranked fourth for the number of individuals killed in car accidents (17.02 per 100,000 residents).
• This city was also ranked fourth for the number of fatal car accidents (16.21 per 100,000 residents).
• It ranked sixth for fatal speed-related car accidents (4.94 per 100,000 residents).
• It ranked 10th for fatal drunk driving car accidents (4.35 per 100,000 residents).
• Tucson also ranked 10th for fatal accidents that involved distracted driving (1.1 per 100,000 residents).

Phoenix: 8^th city with the most dangerous drivers

• The total score given to Phoenix was 80.65 out of 100.
• Phoenix ranked 10th for fatal speed-related car accidents (3.86 per 100,000 residents).
• This city ranked 11^th for the number of individuals killed in car accidents (14.59 per 100,000 residents).
• It also ranked 11^th for the number of fatal car accidents (13.85 per 100,000 residents).

Mesa also made the list, taking the 23^rd spot. That means three of Arizona’s cities are considered to have the most dangerous drivers in America.

Why are more drivers engaging in dangerous behaviors in Tucson and Phoenix as compared to other cities?

When looking in-depth for reasons why more drivers seem to engage in dangerous behaviors in Tucson and Phoenix compared to other cities, we found a variety of different factors, such as:

Tucson and Phoenix have a lot of road rage and aggressive drivers

Recently, Arizona ranked as the worst state for road rage and aggressive driving. This means that some drivers in Tucson and Phoenix are likely to have severe road rage, and if not, they are likely to encounter another driver with road rage during their daily commutes. Road rage frequently leads to very dangerous behaviors while driving, such as speeding, slamming into the back of a vehicle, chasing a vehicle, sideswiping or running them off the road, and more. All of these types of behaviors can quickly lead to devastating or fatal accidents.

Traffic is terrible in both cities

Tucson and Phoenix are among the cities with the worst traffic in the United States. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) points out, any type of traffic congestion can lead to dangerous driving behaviors, such as speeding, aggressive driving, improper lane changes, and more. The terrible traffic in both cities is a contributing factor for why drivers may  behave so recklessly.

Public transportation is scarce

Phoenix and Tucson are spread out and sprawling cities. In Tucson, individuals needing public transportation have the option of taking the Sun Link Streetcar, which is a modern tram that takes residents and visitors on a four-mile route consisting of restaurants, shops, and entertainment options. In Phoenix, individuals can either take a bus or a light rail train, which operates on a 29-mile route. When comparing these public transportation options to New York City’s 665-mile subway track or even Seattle’s 116-mile light rail system, you can immediately see that public transportation in both Phoenix and Tucson is scarce. Unfortunately, as a result, residents and visitors are forced to drive, which leads to more dangerous behaviors, such as speeding, drunk driving, drugged driving, distracted driving, road rage, and more.

People ignore or create their own speed limits

According to the City of Phoenix and the City of Tucson, the maximum speed for both cities is 55 mph in the city limits and 25 mph in residential areas. However, regardless of this rule, both city websites mention a recurring issue, which is that drivers will blatantly ignore or dismiss a posted speed limit and drive faster if they feel like the speed limit is unreasonable.

Fines and penalties for texting and driving are low

In Phoenix, Tucson, and the rest of Arizona, texting while driving was officially banned in 2021. However, the fines and penalties put in place seem to be low, especially when compared to other states. For example, Hawaii charges $250 for each texting and driving offense, Maine charges $250 for the first offense and $500 for the second offense, and Missouri charges $200 for the first offense. If you are caught texting and driving in Phoenix or Tucson, you may receive a fine between $75 – $149 for the first offense and $150 – $250 for each subsequent violation. While this is a matter that may be leading to more distracted driving, there is another issue that could also be playing a major role in more distracted driving behaviors in these cities, which is the presence of long and straight roads. Because cities like Tucson and Phoenix consist of so many long and straight roads, individuals may begin to feel bored, comfortable, tired, or less alert, causing them to pull out their phones or other devices. As a result, these areas are known to become hotspots for distracted driving.

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