L.A. crashes rank higher

Allstate has released one of those studies that mean practically nothing, but which is getting all kinds of attention because it's intriguing - sort of. The insurer has ranked the average frequency of getting in an auto accident in various cities. The U.S. average is one collision every 10 years. In L.A., it's once every seven years, placing it way down in 182th place. At least Philly has a worse record: once every 6.6 years. We can probably guess as to the reasons: Long commutes, impossible congestion, large numbers of uninsured drivers, etc. This being an insurance company, the results are sliced and diced in every conceivable way. Phoenix ranks 87th and is the safest city with a population over one million (9.8 years), while Sioux Falls, S.D. is the safest city overall, with one accident every 14.6 years. Here's the NYT post and here's the Allstate release. Have fun.