The 4th annual “Allstate America’s Best Drivers Report™”, released to the public on July 1, 2008, indicates that Michiganians are some of the country’s safest drivers.  The comprehensive report, which analyzes three years of data, defines safety as the number of years in between accidents.  Four Michigan cities rank among the top 10 safest overall:

      No. 4:       Sterling Heights    
      No. 5:       Warren                  
      No. 7:       Grand Rapids        
      No. 10:     Detroit                   

In cities of 500,000 to 1 million, Detroit was ranked the Number 1 safest city in the U.S.  Flint ranked Number 1 in a new category: “America’s Most-Improved Motorists.”

Some of the reasons cited for fewer crashes in Michigan include:

• Safety belt use
• Graduated licenses for younger drivers
• Improved vehicle design
• Road infrastructure and operational improvements

The report also indicates, remarkably, that over the past 10 years, there has been a 54% decrease in serious crashes in Michigan.  There were 9000 fewer crashes in 2006 compared to 1996.

David Morena, an official with the Federal Highway Administration, based in Lansing, referenced the state’s tough economy as another contributing factor. “Trends have shown that when our Michigan economy is in a downturn, auto crashes tend to reduce as well,” said Morena.

The Advocate’s position is that the Allstate report raises very serious questions about why car insurance rates in Michigan are among the most expensive in America.  Our drivers are doing a good job.  Crashes are down.   But rates are up.  We need some answers.