North Charleston Ranks Fourth for Worst Drivers in the US

ConsumerAffairs recently released its 2026 study ranking US cities for worst driving behavior. According to the ConsumerAffairs 2026 worst drivers study, five of the ten worst cities for drivers are in the South, including Memphis, Baton Rouge, North Charleston, Odessa, and Knoxville. 

The top spot belongs to Waterbury, Connecticut, and three California cities also rank in the top ten. Here, we will dive into the study’s data and findings to provide insight for North Charleston drivers.

Insights From the Worst Drivers Study

Among the top five cities, four are located in the South. The one exception is Waterbury, Connecticut, which ranked first in the US in 2026 after climbing from 134^th in 2023. ConsumerAffairs ranked Waterbury, Connecticut, first overall on its 2026 list of U.S. cities with the worst drivers, and the city also ranked first specifically for DUI-related fatality rates and positive blood alcohol content (BAC) fatality rates, at 9.5 and 8.7 deaths per 100,000 residents, respectively.

• Memphis, Tennessee, fell to second after holding the #1 spot for three years straight. 
• Flanking North Charleston are Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at #3, and Odessa, Texas, at #5.
• Among the top five, North Charleston stands out. Unlike Waterbury, Memphis, and Baton Rouge, North Charleston’s number-one cause of roadway deaths isn’t drunk driving. Rather, it’s speeding. 
• North Charleston currently has the second-highest rate of speeding-related deaths in the United States.

North Charleston’s speed-related fatality rates are climbing, too. The numbers rose 160 percent over the previous year. Speed caused more deaths on North Charleston roads this year, even though total traffic deaths dropped 4 percent, and overall roadway deaths are down 21 percent since 2021.

Odessa, Texas, rounded out the top five with a combination of drunk driving and speeding. Traffic deaths in the city increased 45 percent. These factors catapulted the city from 18^th place last year to fifth this year, just behind North Charleston.

*Disclaimer: Steinberg Law Firm is not directly involved in any cases mentioned in this article. However, we do represent clients injured in car wrecks in North Charleston, Charleston, and surrounding communities. 

Biggest Factors in Dangerous Driving

As the top five cities demonstrate, driving drunk is one of the deadliest choices any driver can make. Alcohol may not have been North Charleston’s top cause of fatal collisions in 2025, but drunk driving crashes still claimed lives. Statewide, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) estimates that one person died in a DUI collision every 21.2 hours on average in 2024.

As North Charleston demonstrates, speed is another major factor in deadly crashes. In 2024, SCDPS recorded 15 fatal crashes in Charleston County that involved a vehicle “driving too fast for conditions.” 

• Another 32 crashes caused serious injuries and 509 resulted in mild or moderate injuries. 
• In Berkeley County, the numbers were similar: 16 fatal speeding-related crashes and 425 crashes causing injuries, 24 of them serious. 

Dorchester County recorded two fatal and 227 injury crashes related to driving too fast for conditions, including nine serious injuries. Other major factors contributing to car wrecks in North Charleston include drivers failing to yield the right of way, improper lane use or lane changes, running off the road, and following another driver too closely. All these factors can be exacerbated by alcohol use. 

Charleston Offers a Ray of Hope

North Charleston jumped from 13^th to 4^th in ConsumerAffairs’ rankings of the worst drivers in America. Neighboring Charleston, however, fell from 10^th worst last year to 217^th in this year’s analysis.

Why such a big change? ConsumerAffairs notes that saving just a few lives can have a big impact. For example, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, cut its traffic deaths from 17 in 2024 to just four in 2025. As a result, the city’s ranking plummeted 247 spots in just one year. Similar efforts to reduce crash deaths in Charleston dropped the city down the ranks, while increases in fatal North Charleston wrecks rocketed North Charleston toward the top.

Several factors combine to affect each city’s driving risks. Poor road design, dangerous travel patterns, risky infrastructure such as bridges, driver behavior, and public investment in infrastructure to protect pedestrians and bicyclists all contribute to danger. According to ConsumerAffairs, cities that frequently appear near the top of the worst drivers list often face several of these factors at once. Crashes in these areas tend to be more frequent and more severe. 

The city with the best drivers in America, according to ConsumerAffairs? Salinas, California. Salinas recorded just one traffic-related death in the past year. That crash did not involve alcohol use or speeding. 

What to Do If You’re Injured in a North Charleston Car Crash

Put safety first. Get out of the roadway if possible and call 911. See a doctor as soon as you can to document your injuries and receive a treatment and recovery plan. Don’t talk to insurance companies until you speak to a knowledgeable attorney first.

At the Steinberg Law Firm, our attorneys focus on understanding the details of each case we handle. We know your injuries and their impact on your life are unique to you. To learn more, call us at (843) 720-2800 or use our online contact form to schedule a free consultation.