The Brief
A report from Consumer Affairs ranked Tampa the worst city to drive in during the holiday season.
A significant contributing factor is the city’s huge jump in traffic congestion.
The report also cites road rage as a contributing factor.
TAMPA, Fla. – A new report from Consumer Affairs has ranked Tampa as the worst city to drive in during the holidays.
The report compiled data based on traffic volume, congestion and fatal crashes and Tampa nabbed the No. 1 spot.
By the numbers
According to the Consumer Affairs report, from quarter to quarter, congestion worsened by 36% during the holiday season, the second-largest increase in the country.
Another factor considered in this study was road rage, as Consumer Affairs ranks Florida as one of the worst states for road rage.
Read More:Whether driving or flying, be aware of the holiday travel forecast
The report also mentions that drivers in Tampa also face longer driving sessions.
On average, Tampa drivers travel 27.6 miles per day during November and December. At Christmas, the researchers saw the largest spike in miles driven, at a 24% increase compared to the rest of the year.
According to the study, Tampa also contributes to a high rate of fatal crashes, even on clear-weather days.
READ: DJ shot, killed in Ybor City road rage incident remembered by friends and family
About 21 fatal crashes occur per 1 million people according to Consumer Affairs, ranking it the third worst for fatal crashes. While weather-related crashes account for 4.7 per 1 million people, according to this study.
Researchers found on the holidays, congestion on average lasts 4 hours and 24 minutes.
Dig deeper
The top five worst traffic cities during the holidays according to the study are:
Orlando ranks 15th on the list.
Click here for the full report.
This study looked at the increases in traffic around the holidays, not just identifying cities with the worst traffic.
The Source
This information in this story was gathered from a Consumer Affairs report on “The U.S. cities with the worst holiday traffic.”