Why Detroit Ranks as One of the Worst Cities in America for Drivers

If you've spent any time driving around Lansing lately, you've probably had the same thought I have.

Is there a single road in this city that ISN'T under construction?

Pretty sure there are more orange-and-white construction barrels in Lansing than there are people. (Photo via Canva)

Seriously. Orange barrels. Barricades. Lane closures. Detours. And just when you finally figure out how to get around one project, another batch of barrels seems to appear overnight.

READ MORE: This Is the Deadliest Stretch of Road in Michigan

So when I saw a new WalletHub study naming Detroit the fifth-worst city in America for drivers, I had one question.

How?!

I haven't been to Detroit in a few months, but considering what Lansing looks like right now, how could driving there possibly be worse?

Apparently, pretty easily.

Detroit Among America's Worst Cities for Driving

WalletHub compared the 100 largest U.S. cities using 30 different factors, looking at things like the cost of owning and maintaining a vehicle, traffic and infrastructure, safety, and access to repair shops and other services.

Detroit came in 96th of 100 cities.

Why Detroit Ranked Dead Last for Driving Safety

The biggest problem? Safety.

Detroit ranked dead last in WalletHub's safety category. 100th out of 100. That part of the study considers things like accident likelihood, traffic deaths, seatbelt use, uninsured drivers, hard-braking incidents and vehicle thefts.

Detroit didn't exactly make up much ground elsewhere, either. It ranked 84th for traffic and infrastructure and 78th for cost of ownership and maintenance.

Only New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia ranked worse overall.

Could Lansing Be Just as Bad for Drivers?

Meanwhile, Lansing wasn't big enough to make WalletHub's list.

Which is probably good.

READ MORE: These Lansing Streets Have the Worst Potholes - Is Your Street on the List?

Because if "number of orange barrels you encounter before you've finished your morning commute" had been one of the categories, I'm sure we would have been competitive.