Massachusetts is full of history, sports and seafood. But, how are the drivers? Most people like to think that their state has the worst drivers. Do Massholes feel the same sentiment? Legend has it that Bostonians think they are the best drivers.
According to our latest 2018 annual state driving study, folks in Massachusetts ranked middle of the pack at twenty-second. So, QuoteWizard decided to look deeper and see what Massachusetts cities are home to the best and worst drivers.
To determine overall driver quality in Massachusetts, we studied drivers from the state’s 50 largest cities. We analyzed over 45,000 insurance quotes from Massachusetts drivers using QuoteWizard.com and ranked cities by the highest rate of incidents. Incidents include accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs and citations.
Worst driving cities in Massachusetts
| Ranking (worst) | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chelmsford |
| 2 | Andover |
| 3 | Peabody |
| 4 | Plymouth |
| 5 | Billerica |
| 6 | Beverly |
| 7 | Leominster |
| 8 | Woburn |
| 9 | Methuen Town |
| 10 | Weymouth Town |
| 11 | Taunton |
| 12 | Framingham |
| 13 | Natick |
| 14 | New Bedford |
| 15 | Worcester |
| 16 | Salem |
| 17 | Lowell |
| 18 | Pittsfield |
| 19 | Dartmouth |
| 20 | Randolph |
| 21 | Lynn |
| 22 | Brockton |
| 23 | Attleboro |
| 24 | Chelsea |
| 25 | Quincy |
Chelmsford
Coming in at number one, Chelmsford is awarded the worst driving city in Massachusetts. The intersection of major highways of I-495 and Route 3 create a traffic chokehold for the town. Middlesex county as a whole had 2.12 fatalities per 100,000 people in 2017. With the Blue Star Memorial Highway paved straight through the city, Chelmsford does not deserve any stars for it’s driving capabilities.
Andover
Sitting about 25 miles north of Boston, Andover comes in as the second worst driving city in the state. Andover sits at the intersection of Interstate 93 and 495. It is also connected by Route 28 which is your main vertical road. Essex County had 4.58 fatalities per 100,000 people in 2017. Considering its smaller 35,000 population, Andover has room for improvement.
Peabody
With a population of 52,000 and its rich industrial history, Peabody is the third worst driving city in Massachusetts. Interstate 95, Route 128 and Route 1 all junction intersect this area. Maybe that is why Peabody has such bad drivers?
Best driving cities in Massachusetts
| Ranking (best) | City |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brookline |
| 2 | Boston |
| 3 | Cambridge |
| 4 | Amherst |
| 5 | Malden |
| 6 | Springfield |
| 7 | Watertown Town |
| 8 | Marlborough |
| 9 | Holyoke |
| 10 | Medford |
| 11 | Somerville |
| 12 | Arlington |
| 13 | Shrewsbury |
| 14 | Barnstable Town |
| 15 | Newton |
| 16 | Braintree Town |
| 17 | Chicopee |
| 18 | Everett |
| 19 | Waltham |
| 20 | Haverhill |
| 21 | Fitchburg |
| 22 | Westfield |
| 23 | Fall River |
| 24 | Revere |
| 25 | Lawrence |
Brookline
The birthplace of John F. Kennedy, Brookline is part of the Greater Boston area with a population of 58,000. Despite its relative density, it comes in as the number one best driving city in the state. Norfolk County had 4.71 traffic fatalities per 100,000 people in 2017. Considering Massachusetts’ three best driving cities (Brookline, Boston and Cambridge) are all within a few square miles, what is in the water that makes this area such great drivers?
Boston
Boston’s sports teams are used to winning. Coming in at second-best driving city in the state this year, Boston now has something else to boast about. Suffolk County had 3.26 fatalities per 100,000 in 2017. Some say Boston is the most walkable city in the country, so who even needs a car? Escaping traffic with the plethora of walking routes makes forgoing car ownership a stroll in the park. A third of the population uses public transportation to commute. Maybe that’s why Boston is so highly ranked - no one wants to drive if they don’t have to.
Cambridge
Just across the Charles River and home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, Cambridge ranks as the third best driving city in the state. Despite its irregular street grid derived from the colonial era, Cambridge deserves praise. The smart students of Harvard, University of Cambridge, MIT and Hult Business school must help spring Cambridge to the top of the list.
Methodology
The QuoteWizard research team evaluated driver quality from the 50 largest cities in Indiana by population. We analyzed 2018 data of over 45,000 insurance quotes from Indiana drivers using QuoteWizard to find the rate of overall incidents in each city. Incidents include accidents, speeding tickets, DUIs and citations
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