A recent study by Market Watch sheds light on driving safety in various U.S. cities, with Oakland emerging as having the highest rate of car thefts in the country.
The study reveals a staggering 5,041 car thefts reported in Oakland in 2019, according to the FBI’s crime report, translating to a rate of 1,161.4 thefts per 100,000 residents. This figure is the highest nationwide, with Round Rock, TX showing the lowest car theft rate at 39.9 thefts per 100,000 people—over 29 times lower than Oakland. Detroit ranks second after Oakland with a rate of 1,037.8 thefts per 100,000 residents.
In contrast, Oakland scores favorably in two other categories. The city’s DUI arrests and crash fatalities fall significantly below California’s averages. Market Watch data suggests 263.28 DUI arrests per 100,000 people in Oakland, compared to California’s rate of 314 arrests. Similarly, fatal crashes rate at 5.9 per 100,000 people in Oakland stands lower than both the state’s average of 10.9 and the national average of 12.9.
However, freeway shootings have emerged as a major concern for drivers in Oakland, with at least 15 shootings reported on Interstates 580 and 880 in 2023 alone. The California Highway Patrol plans to install 180 freeway cameras in the Bay Area to monitor these incidents in the coming months.
Data for the study was collated from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for fatal crash statistics and the FBI’s 2019 Crime in the United States report for DUI and car theft figures, covering all cities with over 100,000 residents.