The study rated 47 of the most populated cities in America based on four categories: driving experience, safety, cost of car ownership, and access to car maintenance. Researchers considered such factors as the number of accidents and thefts per 100,000 residents, and the amount of time spent behind the wheel.
Oakland was ranked the worst city to drive in because of its high number of fatal car accidents, long commuting times, and high gas prices, among other variables.
The East Bay city had the second highest cost of car ownership, with drivers paying an average of $3,680 per year for insurance and $4.52 per gallon for gasoline.
It takes drivers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley metro area around 20 minutes and 50 seconds to travel six miles, which was the third longest time in the study. The area also recorded the slowest rush hour speed at 23 miles per hour.
The Bay Area also had the fourth most car thefts and fourth fewest car washes, because who needs to wash a stolen car?
San Francisco placed third on the list and Los Angeles trailed in 11th place. Not far behind was Long Beach at No. 20, and for a list where last place is a good thing, San Diego ranked No. 42, making it America’s sixth best city to drive in.
Other metrics researchers considered were the number of electric vehicle charging stations, number of repair shops, number of rainy days, average downtown speeds, and the amount spent on gas due to congestion per year.
The worst five cities were Oakland, Miami, San Francisco, Houston, and New York.
San Francisco drivers paid an average $4.72 per gallon for gas, the highest among the cities studied, and had the fourth longest average commute at 35 minutes and 8 seconds.
In February, Forbes Advisor ranked the nation’s worst drivers using the 50 most populated cities, placing Oakland and San Francisco at the bottom of the list, because the best drivers come from the worst places to drive apparently.
Oakland was ranked number 44 for worst drivers, San Francisco was 49, and San Diego ranked 42nd.
