These Middle TN cities have some of the worst drivers in the state: report

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Driving can be a nerve-wracking experience, and now there’s a report to prove it.

It’s no secret that Tennessee is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation. However, with more residents comes more vehicles, which can lead to more crashes.

ConsumerAffairs recently analyzed data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System to identify which Tennessee cities you may want to steer clear of.

Data shows that seven cities in Middle Tennessee landed on the list:

The report ranked each city based on their “crash score,” which was determined by five main key factors.

• Number of fatalities due to crashes per 100,000 people
• Number of crashes due to bad driving per 100,000 people
• Number of fatalities due to speeding per 100,000 people
• Number of fatalities due to driving under the influence per 100,000 people
• Number of fatalities due to positive blood alcohol content per 100,000 people

Landing in the top 5 was Smyrna, Tennessee. Data reportedly found that seven deadly crashes were reported in the town in 2022 , with four resulting from speeding. Smyrna’s 7.44 deaths due to speeding per 100,000 people was found to be the highest in the state.

Despite being named on the list, experts said their analysis proved Franklin finished with the lowest crash score.

Notably, Memphis not only has the worst drivers in the Volunteer State, but also in the nation, according to a 2023 report from ConsumerAffairs .

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According to the report, Tennessee’s 28.77 deadly crashes per 100,000 people exceeded the national average of 12.84 deadly crashes per 100,000 people. Crashes in the state that were the result of bad driving and impaired driving also exceeded the national averages.

To see all Tennessee cities that made the list, click here .

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