New Rochelle Shines Among Best Drivers in New York, White Plains Ranks Among Worst

Written By: Robert Cox

CHARLOTTE, NC (April 5, 2025) — A new LendingTree study has identified New Rochelle as one of the best cities for drivers in New York State, while White Plains landed among the worst, based on incident rates across municipalities. The study, which analyzed insurance quote data from QuoteWizard by LendingTree, measured incidents such as speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, DUIs, and other violations per 1,000 drivers.

The study’s findings, reported by outlets like Hudson Valley Post and WNYT.com, highlight how driving records can impact insurance costs, with safer driving areas likely benefiting from lower rates.

New York Municipalities with the Best Drivers (Ranked):

  1. Rome: Lowest incident rate at 2.9 incidents per 1,000 drivers, indicating fewer speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs, and violations.
  2. Freeport: Incident rate at or below 4.0 per 1,000 drivers, reflecting safer driving habits.
  3. New Rochelle: Incident rate at or below 4.0 per 1,000 drivers, showing a low frequency of driving violations.
  4. Spring Valley: Incident rate at or below 4.0 per 1,000 drivers, suggesting fewer recorded incidents.
  5. Rochester: Incident rate at or below 4.0 per 1,000 drivers, pointing to safer driving conditions and fewer violations.

New York Municipalities with the Worst Drivers (Ranked):

  1. Schenectady: Highest incident rate at 10.6 incidents per 1,000 drivers; local reports suggest challenging driving conditions like potholes and congested roads may contribute.
  2. Binghamton: Incident rate of 9.0 incidents per 1,000 drivers, indicating a high frequency of violations.
  3. White Plains: High incident rate, though specific figures were not provided, reflecting frequent driving violations.
  4. Albany: Elevated incident rate, potentially due to busy urban traffic and road conditions in the Capital Region.
  5. Ithaca: Among the highest incident rates, suggesting more frequent speeding tickets, accidents, or DUIs.

The data was compiled from insurance inquiries, though a direct press release from LendingTree was not publicly available at the time of this report.