Rebecca Burylo

Montgomery Advertiser

This Labor Day weekend, Montgomery drivers should give each other a pat on the back — or a courteous nod, rather, with both hands on the wheel — after a recent report by Allstate ranked the Capital City one of the Top 10 safest cities to drive in.

Although some morning commuters might disagree, Allstate's 10th annual America's Best Drivers Report named Montgomery the sixth safest out of 200 of the largest cities, based on an analysis of car accidents.

Drivers must be doing something right — the city improved from last year's report ranking Montgomery as the ninth safest.

This year's report is based on data from January 2011 to December 2012 from claims made after auto collisions that resulted in property damage.

Montgomery was edged out in the rankings by Huntsville, which came in at No. 5. Fort Collins, Colorado, was named the safest driving city for the fourth time in a decade, while Worcester, Massachusetts, landed at No. 200 on Allstate's list.

On average, Montgomery drivers go 12.4 years without having a collision, according to this year's report, and they are 19.4 percent less likely to be involved in a traffic accident when compared with the national average.

Allstate insurance ranks cities on a combination of factors — claims data, frequency of collisions, traffic volume, population and weather conditions for each city.

Sgt. BJ Champlin has worked for the Montgomery Police Department's Traffic Division for many years and attributed the city's favorable ranking to red light cameras and the stationary police cars that track speeds in school zones, construction areas and residential areas.

"We have seen a few more fender benders because people are actually slamming on the brakes when the car behind them thought they were going to go through the yellow light," Champlin said. "But what we're not seeing is a car coming from the other direction and hitting the driver door going 30 to 40 mph, causing broken legs, arms, collar bones."

Serious injuries are down significantly, Champlin said, but drivers should not get overconfident.

Champlin said the majority of accidents in the city can be contributed to following too closely behind another vehicle.

"Following too close for the majority of accidents is the biggest problem. No doubt about it," Champlin said. "Speed is always a contributing factor to the amount of damage or injury."

State law requires drivers to leave at least 20 feet between vehicles for every 10 mph. That might seem like a long distance, but Champlin said that statistic is based on science.

"Ultimately, there is a human reaction time to danger," Champlin said. "There is a time for your body to process and take action upon, like hitting the brakes or steering. And as you're moving 60 or 80 mph, you're covering ground, and that's why you need that distance."

During hazardous weather conditions, drivers should leave more distance. If someone cuts in front of them, drivers should slow down and readjust to allow for the appropriate distance, Champlin said.

DO AREA DRIVERS THINK MONTGOMERY'S ROADS ARE SAFE?

• "I guess we're pretty safe. ... It's a small city. Most things are closed late at night, so there's nothing really to do and so you don't have a big population drinking and driving."

Renetta Foulks

• "I disagree because there are a lot of people who don't know how to drive correctly on the road. When I get in the car with other people I don't feel safe."

Christine Jones

• "I agree. There are probably a lot more cities that have unsafe drivers than here. Whenever I cross the street, I don't usually see cars running the red lights. I don't have the same experience when I go to Birmingham or Chicago or other areas."

Beth Green

• "I would agree, probably largely in part by law enforcement and then, on top of it, insurance premiums. They're going to dictate how you drive. … They have the monitors at the different red lights. As painful as they are, they're going to make you think. The pocketbook will get your attention."

Suzi Powell

SAFETY TIPS

According to Allstate, drivers should follow these safety tips when driving in large cities:

• Know what's happening in the city during the time you're driving. Find out if there are events that might impact traffic, and listen to traffic reports on your car radio. Explore alternative routes, if possible.

• Get directions to where you're going. Review directions carefully in advance. If you get lost mid-trip, safely pull over and wait until you feel calm enough to get back on the road, using that time to get directions, check traffic or call for help.

• Allow plenty of time to reach your destination. Stop-and-go traffic, gridlock, traffic signal stops, pedestrian walkways and events that create traffic detours can add time to your travel.

• Stay alert. Be prepared to frequently stop or slow down for pedestrians, emergency vehicles, delivery trucks, parking cars, taxi cabs and public transportation vehicles such as city buses.

• Be aware of road conditions. Ice, snow, fog, rain — all of these weather conditions require extra caution and slower speeds. Stopping safely in rain and snow takes greater lengths of roadway than in dry conditions.

• Maintain your vehicle to prepare for extreme weather. Headlights and brake lights are critical in low visibility situations — be sure they are consistently maintained along with other critical car functions, such as brakes and windshield wipers.