Editor's note: This article first appeared on CarInsurance.com and is reprinted here withtheir permission.

When rain, snow and other precipitation falls, Worcester,Massachusetts; Boston and Washington, D.C., become the least safecities for drivers.

Motorists in both Massachusetts cities tend to have accidentsmore than twice as often as the national average when precipitation(primarily rain and snow) are factored in, according to the 10thannual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report." The big insurersays drivers in the national capital face almost twice thecollision risk.

Allstate based the report on its own accident claims statisticsfor the 200 largest cities for 2014. The company also usedprecipitation data provided by the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) to solidify the rankings. Mike Roche,Allstate's executive vice president of claims, says the studyshould remind drivers of the dangers they face in areas typicallyplagued by difficult weather, especially during the winter.Allstate notes that snowy and rainy conditions have been especiallyhazardous in many regions this winter and that the NOAA predictsthe trend is likely to continue for the next few months.

"Precipitation may impact a city's collision frequency ranking,"Roche says in a written statement. "The report is a safetyawareness tool that shows how city drivers fare when you considerhow often the average driver will get into a collision."

Here are the 10 least safe cities, according to Allstate'sranking, based on the expected driver performance given each city'saverage annual precipitation as measured by NOAA.

#1 - Worcester, Massachusetts - The city has anaverage of 48.1 inches of precipitation a year. Drivers have, onaverage, about 4.3 years between collisions. That's 134.8 percentabove the national average, which is an accident about every 10years.

#2 - Boston, Massachusetts - 43.8 inches; 4.4years between accidents; 129.9 percent higher.

#3 - Washington, D.C. - 39.7 inches; 5.1 yearsbetween accidents; 97.3 percent higher.

#4 - Springfield, Massachusetts - 46.7 inches;about 5.4 years between accidents; 85.8 percent higher.

#5 - Baltimore, Maryland - 41.9 inches; about5.4 years between accidents; 84.9 percent higher.

#6 - Providence, Rhode Island - 47.2 inches;about 5.4 years between accidents; 85.1 percent higher.

#7 - Glendale, California - 23 inches; 5.8years between accidents; 72.6 percent higher.

#8 - Alexandria, Virginia - 39.5 inches; 5.9years between accidents; 68.2 percent higher.

#9 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 41.5 inches;6.2 years between accidents; 61.2 percent higher.

#10 - New Haven, Connecticut - 47.1inches; 6.3 years between accidents; 59.1 percent higher.

On the plus side, here are the 10 safest cities (precipitationfactored in):

1. |

   1. Brownsville, Texas - The city has an average of 27.4inches ofprecipitation a year. Drivers have, on average, about 14.2 yearsbetween collisions, which is nearly 29.5 lower than the nationalaverage.

   2. Fort Collins, Colorado - 15 inches; 14.2 years betweenaccidents; 29.6 percent lower.

   3. Kansas City, Kansas - 39.1 inches; 12.9 years between accidents;22.4 percent lower.

   4. Huntsville, Alabama - 55.8 inches; 12.6 years between accidents;20.3 percent lower.

   5. Boise, Idaho - 11.7 inches; 14.0 years between accidents; 28.4percent lower.

   6. Montgomery, Alabama -52.8 inches; 12.4 years between accidents;19.4 percent lower.

   7. Madison, Wis. - 37.3 inches; 12.2 years between accidents; 17.8percent lower.

   8. Olathe, Kansas - 41.9 inches; 12.1 years between accidents; 17.5percent lower.

   9. Kansas City, Missouri - 39.1 inches. 12 years between accidents;16.8 percent lower.

   10. Cedar Rapids, Iowa - 34.6 inches. 12.1 years between accidents;17.1 percent lower.

Car insurance and weather-related accidents

Knowing the role carinsurance plays when you have a weather-related accidentcan help ease a stressful situation. Liability insurance will helpcover damage to the other vehicle if you're in an accident. Butyou'll need optional collision and comprehensive insurance coverageto fully protect your car from weather-related mishaps, accordingto Penny Gusner, the consumer analyst for Insure.com.

"If you're behind the wheel during a snowstorm and slide on iceand crash, then it would be a collision claim for your car'sdamages," she explains. "Collision covers your vehicle, minus yourdeductible, when it hits, or is hit by, another vehicle orobject."

Comprehensive comes into play for other types of damage: "If astorm causes a frozen tree branch or monster icicle to fall on yourcar, smashing the windshield and denting the hood, comprehensivecoverage would cover the damage, minus your deductible," saysGusner.

She adds that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) says there are more than 5.8 million car crashes each year,with almost a quarter related to "rain, sleet, snow, blowing snow,fog, crosswinds and wet, snowy, slushy or icy pavement."

Driving smart during rough weather

AAA and Allstate offer several driving tips during the rainy andsnowy season:

• Be aware of road conditions. Rain, snow, fog and ice requireextra caution. Stopping safely in rain and snow takes greaterlengths of roadway than in dry conditions.

• Drive slowly, particularly through rain puddles. "Hittingseveral inches of water at high speeds can cause a driver to losecontrol of the car," warns AAA.

• In snow, apply the gas slowly to accelerate. That's the bestmethod for regaining traction and avoiding skids. "Don't try to getmoving in a hurry," says AAA. "And take time to slow down for astoplight."

• Maintain your car to prepare for extreme weather. Headlights andbrake lights are critical in low visibility situations - be surethey are consistently maintained along with other important carelements such as heating, defrosters, brakes, fluid levels andwindshield wipers.

• Keep a safety kit in your vehicle that includes gloves, boots,blankets, flares, water, jumper cables and a flashlight.

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