The statement that best explains why earthquakes sometimes occur in the same locations as mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys is:
Faults form because crust gets cracked when plates move apart along divergent plate boundaries.
Mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys are associated with divergent plate boundaries, where tectonic plates are moving away from each other. As these plates separate, the crust can crack and create faults, leading to seismic activity and earthquakes.