Most of us don’t make much of it when we hop into our cars to hit the road each day. But getting behind the wheels of a vehicle can be a deadly endeavor. In 2017, approximately 34,247 car accidents resulted in deaths within the US. Show
In this article, we’ll identify the state with the most car accidents resulting in death. While states like Texas, California, and Florida all lead the nation in the number of car accidents per state, they don’t make this list because the fatality rates in these large states are actually lower in proportion to its population. Rather, this top 10 list of states with the most car accidents leading to deaths will take into consideration fatalities per 100,000 population (i.e. fatalities relative to the state’s population). 1. MississippiAccording to SmartAsset’s annual study, Mississippi was ranked #1 for the state with the worst drivers. At a rate of 23.1 fatalities, this state also has the highest car accidents per capita, resulting in death. Moreover, only 76% of the drivers had proper insurance, the second-lowest rate in the US. Key Stats
2. WyomingWyoming’s state car accident statistics don’t look particularly alarming at first glance. However, once you realize it is the least populated state in America, the fatality rate is quite concerning. Fatal auto accident rates on rural roads are especially a problem in this state. Key Stats
3. South CarolinaSouth Carolina is one of the top states with the most car accidents at 988 fatalities. One of the main reasons for the high number of fatalities is drivers driving under the influence of alcohol. Almost half of the fatalities in this state are because of DUI-related cases. Key Stats
4. AlabamaAlthough Alabama does have distracted driving laws in place, they are relatively lax when compared to the other states. For example, the fine for a first-time distracted driving violation is a mere $25. These lax driving laws have propelled Alabama to the forefront in regards to the discussion of what state with the most car accidents results in fatalities. Key Stats
5. New MexicoInjury-related deaths from motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of deaths in those aged 1 to 24 years of age in New Mexico. Major contributing factors to the large number of fatalities in rural New Mexico, in particular, include the lack of speed enforcement, lengthy emergency response time, and a large number of two-lane roads. Key Stats
6. MontanaMontana ranks 6th in the list of the state with the most car accidents, resulting in death. In 2017, all 36 fatalities that occurred in Montana took place on rural interstate highways. Several reasons why the fatality rate is high in Montana include state drivers driving under the influence, failure to obey traffic laws, and high speeds. Key Stats
7. KentuckyKentucky is among one of the worst states for drivers driving under the influence. In fact, this state has one of the highest DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers at 5.88 (7th highest in the US). The number of uninsured drivers in Kentucky at 11.5% also contributes to the high fatality rates. Key Stats
8. West VirginiaOver a five-year span, West Virginia had one of the worst records for distracted driving accidents resulting in fatalities. There were 601 distracted driving fatalities over this period, which ranked 8th highest in the US. Key Stats
9. OklahomaWith an estimated population of just under four million people, Oklahoma ranks in the top ten for fatal car accidents by state. In one particular survey, Oklahoma State Highway 9 was deemed the second most dangerous highway in the US. There were a total of 50 fatal crashes on the SR-9 alone from 2010 to 2016. Key Stats
10. ArkansasArkansas just makes it into the top ten in our list of car accidents by state, resulting in death. With a total of 493 fatalities, the state government has several road safety initiatives, such as “Safe Routes to School” and “Transportation Alternatives Program,” to increase awareness and promote safety. Key Stats
Valiente MottAs you can see, this list of states with the most car accidents resulting in death just goes to show how dangerous American roads can be. If you find yourself injured in a car accident and require legal assistance, contact the Las Vegas personal injury lawyer team at Valiente Mott today. We offer a free consultation providing you with the best options for your case.
Two million people are injured in auto collisions in the United States each year, according to the CDC. Auto collisions can vary—some cause only minor damage, while others are fatal. While you may protect your automobile with car insurance, sometimes crashes are unavoidable. That’s why it is vital you take the necessary precautions to keep yourself and others safe. Let’s take a closer look at car accidents by state, as well as some easy ways to protect yourself on the road. Here’s what we’ll cover: No matter where you live, driving can be dangerous. There were over 33,000 fatal car crashes in 2019 in the United States. The total number of car accidents by state is closely related to population. But other factors that can affect these stats include weather, topography, common types of vehicles, travel speed, and the number of passengers. The following table breaks down the number of fatal motor vehicle accidents and deaths across all 50 states (and Washington, D.C.), with data provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Which state has the most car accidents compared to the number of licensed drivers? We divided the total number of fatal crashes in each state in 2019 by the number of licensed drivers to uncover the states with the highest amount of fatal accidents. We also looked at the rate of fatal crashes per 10,000 licensed drivers to better gauge the severity. The number of licensed drivers per state was sourced from the Federal Highway Administration. Here are the top five states with the most fatal car accidents per the number of licensed drivers. 1. MississippiAccording to our research, Mississippi ranks as the state with the most fatal car accidents per number of licensed drivers. Mississippi had 2,017,111 licensed drivers and 581 fatal crashes in 2019. One in two people killed in car accidents in Mississippi were not wearing their seat belts; Mississippi has the lowest seat belt usage rates in the nation (77.9%, compared to the nationwide rate of 90.1%) Aside from lax seat-belt habits, poor driving conditions and high rates of drunk driving make Mississippi a deadly state for drivers. This state is one of the most poorly lit in the nation. For the last five years, the American Society of Civil Engineers rated at least a quarter of all state highways in Mississippi ‘poor’ or ‘fair.’ Drunk driving is also a major problem. According to the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), drunk driving fatalities account for 18% of all traffic fatalities in the state.
2. WyomingEven though Wyoming is the least populated state, it has the second-highest rate of fatal car accidents per number of licensed drivers. Wyoming had 427,233 licensed drivers and 120 fatal crashes in 2019. According to the Department of Transportation, in 2020, there were over 13,000 car accidents in Wyoming, with 20,000 vehicles involved. Pickup trucks had the highest number of crashes that solely resulted in property damage, at over 4,000 in total. Like Mississipi, driving while intoxicated is more common in this state than usual. While the national average for people who report driving after drinking too much is 1.9%, in Wyoming it’s 2.2%. Wind conditions in Wyoming are also known to make driving more difficult, as gusts can reach between 40 and 70 miles an hour in the southeast.
3. New MexicoThere were over 48,000 car accidents reported on public roadways in New Mexico in 2019. Recent studies blame New Mexico’s poor road conditions as a factor for why the state has such high crash rates. A recent report found that 32 percent of major locally and state-maintained roads in New Mexico are in poor condition, and another 24 percent are in mediocre condition.
4. South CarolinaSouth Carolina has almost double the number of licensed drivers as Mississippi. However, South Carolina is ranked the fourth state with the most fatal car accidents by state per the number of licensed drivers. Approximately one in 18 South Carolina licensed drivers was involved in a traffic accident in 2019. One person was injured every nine minutes in a South Carolina car collision in 2019. (SCDPS) Driving too fast and poor road conditions play a significant factor in South Carolina’s high crash rates. Driving too fast was the cause of almost 40,000 car collisions in 2019, (SCDPS) and in 2019, a Consumer Affairs report found that South Carolina had the worst state roads in the United States.
5. KentuckyKentucky has miles of open highways and spectacular mountains. Unfortunately, the state also has unpredictable weather conditions, and a fair rate of car accidents. When looking at the number of fatal car accidents per licensed driver, Kentucky lands the fifth spot. There was a 5.5% increase in Kentucky fatal car crashes in 2020 compared to 2019. In 2020, one in every 24 licensed drivers in Kentucky were involved in a car crash, and 60% of all collisions in Kentucky involved two or more vehicles. (KTC)
5 states with the least fatal car accidents If you’re a driver in the following places, you can rest slightly easier knowing that your area’s rate of traffic fatalities is lower than usual. 1. Washington, D.C.Yes, Washington, D.C. isn’t an actual state. But fun fact: It has a higher population than Vermont and Wyoming combined. However, the nation’s capital had the least amount of car accidents per number of licensed drivers among all the states and districts. DC had the lowest number of drivers killed with over-the-limit blood alcohol levels, and the lowest death rate (deaths per 100,000 people) among the states, at 3.3%. With only 22 fatal car accidents in 2019, Washington, D.C. truly is a safe place to drive.
2. MassachusettsNot only does Massachusetts experience the brutal winds of winter, but it also feels the wrath of hurricane season. Despite having to cope with these weather conditions, Massachusetts drivers are pretty safe. With almost 5 million licensed drivers, it’s shocking to find out there were only 321 accidents in 2019. As of April 2022, only 94 people have lost their lives in reported car accident fatalities this year and Massachusetts has the second lowest crash death rate tied with New York. (MassDOT)
3. New YorkDespite having over 12 million licensed drivers, New York is a fairly safe place to drive. Of course, things can get a little sticky when driving in an incredible dense place, like New York City. Traveling in the outer boroughs? Be cautious—in 2020, Brooklyn and Queens accounted for 61.4% of all crash-related injuries in New York City. And in NYC, distracted driving accounted for almost 30% of collisions that same year.
4. Rhode IslandAh, lil’ Rhode Island. Did you know you can drive through the entire state in just an hour? It’s no wonder the smallest state falls under the category of least car accidents by state. With a population of just over 1 million, Rhode Island had only 57 fatalities from car accidents in 2019. However, that same year there were 308 serious injuries resulting from car collisions. (FHWA)
5. MinnesotaMinnesota might be the 12th largest state, yet it had significantly fewer car accidents in 2019 than most other states. There was a 4% decrease in Minnesota traffic deaths in 2019 compared to 2018 and an 11% decrease in the past 10 years. However, drunk driving contributed to 89 Minnesota deaths in 2019 and speeding contributed to 75 deaths. (MNDPS)
Deadliest types of carsWhile accidents happen, certain car models are deadlier than others due to a lack of safety features, design, and other factors. Here are the deadliest car models, according to various sources.
How to protect yourself after a car accidentOne of the most important ways to protect yourself after an accident is by having car insurance, which can cover both physical damage to your vehicle as well as medical or legal bills for yourself and others. Check out Lemonade’s different types of car insurance to help you cover the cost in the event of a crash. It’s better to be prepared now than later. MethodologyTo discover the states with the most car accidents, Lemonade collected and analyzed data provided by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). We then ranked the states by the most and least fatal accidents by the number of licensed drivers. The number of licensed drivers per state was sourced from the Federal Highway Administration. We also relied on crash reports and other peer-reviewed car accident studies. Please note: Lemonade articles and other editorial content are meant for educational purposes only, and should not be relied upon instead of professional legal, insurance or financial advice. The content of these educational articles does not alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. While we regularly review previously published content to ensure it is accurate and up-to-date, there may be instances in which legal conditions or policy details have changed since publication. Any hypothetical examples used in Lemonade editorial content are purely expositional. Hypothetical examples do not alter or bind Lemonade to any application of your insurance policy to the particular facts and circumstances of any actual claim. |
What state has the most car accidents
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