A new report from InsurTech company, Novo Insurance analyzed 6.8 million miles of Arizona driving data to identify Arizona’s most frequent near-miss locations and other safety trends. Key findings when examining Arizona’s most dangerous roads and driving habits include:

• The speed gap: Drivers on Loop 202 are nearly twice as likely (1.87% vs. 1.00%) to engage in extreme speeding (20+ MPH over) than those on the 101.

• Near-miss hotspots: Beyond I-10 and I-17, N. Black Canyon Hwy, Baseline, McDowell, and Thunderbird are now top 10 zones for hard-braking events.

• Distraction divide: Gen Z drivers are 4x more likely to handle their phones while driving than Boomers.

• The EV factor: Electric vehicle drivers in the Valley trigger rapid acceleration alerts nearly 7x more often than gas-powered cars.

DEEPER DIVE: Read all the Ranking Arizona Top 10 lists here

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How Arizona Really Drives

Insights from 6.8 million miles of real driving data collected by Novo Insurance across 2,324 Arizona drivers.

• 6.8 million Miles Analyzed

• 763,000 Trips Recorded

• 2,324 Drivers Studied

LOOP 101 VS. 202

The Phoenix Speed Gap

Phoenix commuters often think of Loop 101 as the city’s main speedway, but data suggests Loop 202 is home to the Valley’s most aggressive driving.

40,000+1.87% Extreme speeding on Loop 202103.6 MPH
Speeding events analyzed1.00% Extreme speeding on Loop 101Top speed on the 202
  
  • Loop 101 has the volume: 601 individual speeders and more total incidents overall.
  • Loop 202 has the intensity: drivers nearly twice as likely to engage in extreme speeding (20+ MPH over limit).
  • One driver on the 202 was clocked at 103.6 MPH — significantly higher than the top speed on the 101.

NEAR-MISS HOTSPOTS

Where Phoenix Slams the Brakes

Over 6,000 hard braking events — a key indicator of potential collisions — mapped the top 10 danger zones in the Valley.

1,599 Hard-braking events on I-101,022 Hard-braking events on I-173 streets Surface streets in the top 10
  • The I-10 and I-17 recorded 1,599 and 1,022 hard-braking events respectively.
  • N. Black Canyon Hwy (I-17 Frontage road) ranks #7, more near-misses than several major freeways.
  • Baseline Rd, McDowell Rd, and Thunderbird Rd round out the top 10.

GENERATIONAL DIVIDE

Gen Z Drivers Are 4x More Distracted

Analysis of over 135,000 distracted driving events reveals a massive generational divide in phone handling behind the wheel.

4x Gen Z vs. Boomers phone handling325 Avg. distraction events per Gen Z driver~100K Total Gen Z distractions recorded
  • Gen Z drivers (ages 18–29) are over 4x more likely to handle their phones while driving than Boomers (62+).
  • On average, a Gen Z driver recorded 325 distraction events vs. just 77 for the average Boomer.
  • Gen Z’s comfort with tech translates to a major safety deficit, with nearly 100,000 recorded distractions for that age group alone.

EV VS. GAS

The EV Instant Torque Problem

As EVs fill Phoenix roads, Novo’s data reveals that instant torque is significantly changing how Valley residents accelerate.

680% More likely to trigger rapid accel.15.06 Rapid accel. per 100 mi (EV)2.21 Rapid accel. per 100 mi (gas)
  • EV drivers are nearly 7x more likely to trigger rapid acceleration alerts than gas drivers.
  • EV owners average 15.06 rapid acceleration events per 100 miles vs. 2.21 for gas drivers.
  • The immediate power of electric engines is catching drivers off guard, leading to significantly more fast starts.

METHODOLOGY

These findings are based on proprietary telematics data analyzed by Novo Insurance over a 554-day collection period from September 5, 2024, to March 13, 2026. The study captures more than 6.8 million miles across 763,329 trips from 2,324 users and 2,454 vehicles throughout Arizona. 97.8% of all recorded trips (746,791) were collected following the launch of Novo’s mobile-based telematics solution on March 10, 2025. Data is captured via the Novo Insurance mobile app, measuring GPS-based velocity, G-force (braking/acceleration), and mobile device movement while the user is driving their Novo insured vehicle.