NewsFox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local NewsOctober 24, 2026San Diego County
San Diego ranks second nationwide for car accident rates, according to LendingTree study
Photo: Fox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local News
A new study by LendingTree found that San Diego has the second-highest car accident rate in the country at 28.2 accidents per 1,000 drivers. The study also examined accident rates by vehicle make and driver age, identifying Ram drivers and Gen Z motorists among the highest in those categories.
Read the full story at Fox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local NewsWhy It Matters
The findings highlight local traffic safety rankings among the 50 largest U.S. cities, detailing specific accident frequencies across driver age groups and vehicle makes.
Key Facts
- San Diego ranks second nationwide for car accident rates at 28.2 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
- Raleigh, N.C. ranks first among the 50 largest U.S. cities with 29.1 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
- Los Angeles and San Francisco are tied for third place with 26.9 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
- Sacramento ranks sixth with 25.6 accidents per 1,000 drivers, and Long Beach ranks eighth at 22.7.
- San Jose ranks ninth on the list with a rate of 22.3 accidents per 1,000 drivers.
- Ram drivers have the highest accident rate by vehicle make at 25.9 per 1,000 drivers.
- Tesla and Subaru rank second and third for accident rates by vehicle make.
- Pontiac has the lowest accident rate out of 30 evaluated vehicle makes.
- Gen Z drivers (ages 18-28) have the highest accident rate by age group at 33.1 per 1,000 drivers.
- Millennial drivers record the lowest accident rate by age group at 14.8 per 1,000 drivers.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationSubaru“Vehicle make following Tesla in accident rates”OrganizationRam“Vehicle make with the highest accident rate”locationSan Francisco“Tied for third place in accident rates”locationLong Beach“Ranked eighth place in accident rates”locationRaleigh“Ranked first on the list of accident rates”locationLos Angeles“Tied for third place in accident rates”OrganizationPontiac“Vehicle make with the lowest accident rate among those evaluated”locationSan Jose“Ranked ninth in accident rates”locationSacramento“Ranked sixth in accident rates”locationCalifornia“State where multiple cities ranked near the top of the accident list”OrganizationLendingTree“Compiled the car accident study”OrganizationTesla“Vehicle make following Ram in accident rates”locationSan Diego“Ranked second nationwide for car accident rates”