The results are in—find out how Birmingham drivers ranked nationally

Malfunction Junction
Ever sat in traffic with this view? Photo via Bham Now

Did you know that The Magic City is ranked among the best cities to drive in? WalletHub surveyed the top 100 most populated cities in the nation and Birmingham drivers are leading the pack. Read on to see how we came out on top.

How the rankings were decided

Birmingham skyline drivers
Zooming through downtown like…Photo via Jacob Blankenship for Bham Now

If you’re surprised to see Birmingham ranked so high, allow me to explain…

The rankings were calculated based on four major categories:

  • Cost of Ownership
  • Traffic & Infrastructure
  • Safety
  • Access to Vehicles & Maintenance

Where Birmingham drivers excelled

Birmingham drivers downtown traffic
If you think traffic is bad in Birmingham, steer clear of Oakland. Photo via Jacob Blakenship for Bham Now

Let’s start with the good stuff. Out of the 100 cities, Birmingham got the highest score in traffic and infrastructure. This means that on a national average, Birmingham has great commute times, high quality roads and bridges and we spend fewer hours sitting in traffic.

On top of this, we got top marks in ownership and maintenance costs. This tells us that things like purchasing a new car, filling up your tank or heading to the mechanic are more affordable in Birmingham.

Stay in your lane, Birmingham drivers

Birmingham drivers parking
Take note of this excellent parking job. Photo via Jacob Blankenship for Bham Now

You can’t win ’em all, and we’re bringing up the rear when it comes to safety. To be exact, we scored 97th… out of 100. This is due to our high amounts of accidents, fatalities, car theft and uninsured drivers.

We can all work on being a better driver in Birmingham. Don’t forget to use your blinker, come to a complete stop and check those rearview mirrors.

Do you agree with these rankings, or should Birmingham be closer to the top? Let us know @BhamNow.

Sonia Kerrigan
Sonia Kerrigan
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