Not A Wreck: Lubbock Actually Looks Great In Recent Ranking

Lubbock: where no home is safe from oncoming vehicles. It does seem like we have an abundance of accidents for a city of our size. And I frequently find myself annoyed by the way others drive (and for all I know, they are annoyed by me). Is this just confirmation bias? Probably, according to a new ranking that lists Lubbock in the Top 10 Best Cities to Drive-In.

We aren't alone in Texas- also making the Top 10 are Corpus Christi at the #1 slot, Plano at #4, Laredo at #7 and we are sitting comfortably at #8. But how do you define what makes a city one of the best to drive in? We will take a look at their methodology and see if it seems plausible in spite of how we might feel about Lubbock drivers.

One of the metrics is one we have to firmly agree with- traffic congestion. One of the best things about Lubbock is the general lack of traffic. If traffic is backed up, it's almost always because someone is having a much worse day on the road than you: it's probably a bad wreck up ahead. I like to take these opportunities to practice gratitude that I'm safe and that it'll likely clear in a few minutes. We tied for #1 in this category with Wichita, Kansas.

Other categories include:

Cost of ownership & maintenance. Cars aren't rock bottom cheap here, but gas is usually pretty low. Parking rate was included in this category- and I've only ever paid to park on Tech campus so that must have racked us up points.

Traffic & Infrastructure: Little traffic and great infrastructure give us a great lead. Also included were the number of rainy days and cold days, which are also low for us. Our commute times are generally under 20 minutes, which is a miracle compared to other cities.

Safety: We may have lost points here. This category looked at accidents, people who always wear their seat belts (for the love of all that's good, WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT), the number of DUIs, the number of uninsured drivers, etc.

Access to vehicles and maintenance: this category feels redundant to the first, but I suppose it's a little different. It looked at car dealerships, car repair shops, gas stations, parking garages, and car wash facilities per capita.

I know Lubbock has spoiled me for other places, in spite of the wacky driving I sometimes see on Lubbock roads. You really can't beat a quick commute to work- I'm thankful every day for that 5 minute drive.