Los Angeles and San Francisco tied for third among the 50 largest U.S. cities in LendingTree’s Oct. 19, 2026, study, at 26.9 accidents per 1,000 drivers. But that figure comes from insurance-quote data, not a count of every crash. For Beverly Hills commuters, it offers context – not a finding about their route or injury claim. (lendingtree.com)
The Los Angeles Result Behind the San Diego Headline
An Oct. 24, 2026, FOX 5/KUSI report carried by AOL led with San Diego’s second-place ranking. The same report noted the Los Angeles-San Francisco tie. San Diego recorded 28.2 accidents per 1,000 drivers, according to LendingTree. (aol.com)
The San Diego headline was accurate within the study’s scope. But readers should keep that scope attached to the result: this was a comparison of selected major cities using insurance-quote records. It was not a ranking of every California community. (lendingtree.com)
What the Insurance-Quote Sample Actually Measures
LendingTree says it analyzed QuoteWizard insurance-quote data collected from Aug. 1, 2025, through July 31, 2026. Those are the data-collection dates. The published methodology does not say that every accident in those records occurred during that period. (lendingtree.com)
So the rate should not be read as an annual crash probability for every driver. Nor is it a census of police-reported collisions. LendingTree separately used federal fatal-crash records elsewhere in the report; that is a different measure, not the source of LA’s third-place result. (lendingtree.com)
Beverly Hills Was Not Separately Ranked
Beverly Hills was not separately ranked among LendingTree’s 50 cities. If you commute into Los Angeles, the citywide result still does not identify the risk on your particular route. Applying LA’s number directly to Beverly Hills would stretch the findings beyond what the study reports. (lendingtree.com)
There is a second limit: a ranking cannot establish who caused your collision. The California Department of Insurance describes a claim investigation that may include driver statements, witness interviews and records of injuries and losses. Our practical reading is simple: evidence about your crash matters; a city’s position on a list cannot replace it. (insurance.ca.gov)
Build a Crash Record, Not an Argument From Rankings
The California Department of Insurance recommends collecting driver and witness contact information, photographing vehicle damage and the scene, and promptly notifying your insurer. If it is safe, include traffic controls and anything that blocked visibility – not just close-ups of damaged panels. Those details address the actual collision. (insurance.ca.gov)
The department also says injury-related claims may require documentation of injuries, medical expenses and lost wages. Keep those records together. A high city ranking cannot show what an impact did to one person, and it cannot predict a payment. The claim still requires its own investigation. (insurance.ca.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the study say Beverly Hills ranks third?
No. LendingTree lists Los Angeles and San Francisco jointly third; Beverly Hills was not separately ranked. The LA result should not be relabeled as a Beverly Hills rate. (lendingtree.com)
Is this a count of police-reported crashes?
No. LendingTree’s accident ranking uses QuoteWizard insurance-quote data. Its separate fatal-crash analysis uses a different source and should not be confused with this ranking. (lendingtree.com)
Can the ranking prove the other driver was at fault?
No. It does not describe either driver’s actions in your collision. The Department of Insurance’s claim guidance instead describes an investigation using information about the specific loss. (insurance.ca.gov)
Does LA’s ranking mean an injury claim is worth more?
The ranking provides no basis for that prediction. The Department of Insurance says injury-related claims may require records of injuries, medical expenses and lost wages – not a city’s accident ranking. (insurance.ca.gov)
Help With the Evidence Behind Your Claim
At Crown & Stone Law, P.C., we handle car accident claims in Beverly Hills, with direct attorney access and plain-English guidance from Avi Muhtar. We also handle brain injury claims after collisions, where accident evidence and medical records both matter. We explain what the evidence supports without promising a result. (crownandstonelaw.com)
Sources
- Raleigh, N.C., Has the Highest Accident Rate Among Major US Cities (LendingTree, 2026-10-19)
- San Diego’s car accident rate ranks 2nd highest in country, study says (FOX 5/KUSI via AOL, 2026-10-24)
- So You’ve Had an Accident, What’s Next? (California Department of Insurance)
- Beverly Hills Car Accident Lawyer (Crown & Stone Law, P.C.)
- Brain Injury Attorney in California (Crown & Stone Law, P.C.)
