Twin Cities drivers report crashes roughly every 7 years, data shows
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Twin Cities drivers get into collisions more frequently than the national average, according to Allstate claims data provided to Axios.
Why it matters: The stat serves as a good reminder to drive safely as many of us hit the road for summer travel.
Plus: The findings put a little quantitative weight behind some people's strongly held beliefs about the quality — or lack thereof — of their neighbors' driving skills.
How we compare: Drivers in Minneapolis report a collision every 7.6 years, on average, while those in St. Paul go 7.35 years between reported crashes, Allstate' data shows.
- The nationwide average is about 10.6 years.
The intrigue: St. Paul ranked 172nd out of 200 in Allstate's list of cities with the least frequent accidents, a 51-spot drop since 2015.
- Minneapolis, which slid 79 slots in the ranking, was 160th.
Zoom out: Boston and Washington, D.C., drivers go the fewest years between reported collisions, according to Allstate's analysis of 200 large cities.
- Drivers in those cities report crashes every three to four years.
Meanwhile, motorists in Brownsville, Texas (about 14.2 years) and Boise, Idaho (13.9) enjoy the longest average stretches of collision-free driving.
How it works: Allstate's report is based on 2022-23 claims data and defines collisions as incidents resulting in property or collision damage claims.
- That means minor fender benders that go unreported — as common in city driving as potholes and work zones — aren't captured here.
- The findings are also based on where drivers live, not necessarily where incidents happen.
Reality check: The data doesn't factor in collisions' severity.
- Some cities may have a smaller number of road incidents overall, but more fatalities.
Between the lines: Those more serious crashes have also ticked up slightly in recent years, making 2024 Minnesota's deadliest year on the road since 2021.
- Just over 475 people died last year, a 12% increase from 2023, per the Department of Public Safety.
Yes, but: DPS says 167 people have been killed in accidents in 2025 so far, about 50 fewer than the same time last year.
The bottom line: Follow the speed limit, put down your phone, find a sober driver and buckle up.