Safe Driving Stats By States

In 2023, 44,986 motor vehicle fatalities happened in the United States averaging 3,749 deaths per month, or about 123 daily.

A recent study by  baderscott.com conducted a thorough analysis, identifying the safest and riskiest states for driving based on the car accident fatality rate.

 New York has emerged as the safest state for car driving, boasting a low fatality rate of only 5 deaths per 100,000 people. Following closely behind, Massachusetts secures the second position with a fatality rate of 6 deaths per 100,000 people, alongside a notable decrease in the car accident rate by 20%. Subsequently, New Jersey claims the third spot with a fatality rate of 7 deaths per 100,000 people, complemented by a significant reduction in car accidents by 19%.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Wyoming stands out as the most dangerous state for driving, with a staggering 27 deaths per 100,000 people and an alarming increase in the car accident rate of 9%. Following closely, Mississippi earns the second rank with an equivalent rate of 27 deaths per 100,000 people, highlighting its critical road safety challenges. Subsequently, Arkansas is identified as the third most dangerous state, with a slightly lower but still concerning rate of 22 deaths per 100,000 people.

Compared to 2022, in 2023 these states have faced an increased number of accidents in the first 9 months only.

The study delved into 2023 car accident fatalities in the US, utilizing data from the National Health Council and government records. This involved projecting annual statistics, calculating death rates per 100,000 people, and comparing 2022 data, thereby shedding light on states with noteworthy year-over-year changes in car accident deaths.

Key Findings

Trend Analysis: Car accident deaths increased by 6% from 2020 to 2023 but decreased by nearly 3% compared to 2022.

Safe States: New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey ranked as the safest states with the lowest fatality rates for driving.

Dangerous  States: Wyoming, Mississippi, and Arkansas were identified as the most dangerous states for driving.

Regions with Highest Increases: Rhode Island (50%), Arizona (38%), and South Dakota (34%) have the highest increase rates.

Regions with the Most Substantial Decreases: Nebraska (24%), Maine (23%), and Hawaii (21%) have the lowest increase rates.

Safest and Riskiest States for Driving by Car Accident Fatality Rates, 2024

Top 10 Safest States for Driving, by Car Accident Fatality Rate in 2023

New York

With a population of 19.5 million, New York is the safest state, reporting 5 deaths per 100k people, totaling 1,055.92 deaths.

Massachusetts

With 7 million people, Massachusetts has a fatality rate of 6 deaths per 100k people, resulting in a total of 392.33 deaths.

New Jersey

Nearly 9.3 million people in New Jersey experience a fatality rate of 7 deaths per 100k, with a total of 658.99 deaths.

Hawaii

Despite its 1.4 million population, Hawaii has a death rate of 8 per 100k people, resulting in 110.34 total deaths.

Rhode Island

With over 1 million people, Rhode Island has a death rate of 8 per 100k, resulting in 87.36 total deaths.

Minnesota

With 5.7 million people, Minnesota has a fatality rate of 8 deaths per 100k people, resulting in a total of 458.23 deaths.

Utah

Despite a population of 3.4 million, Utah reports a higher death rate of 10 per 100k people, resulting in 324.90 total deaths.

Alaska

With a population of 733,406, Alaska records a death rate of 10 per 100k people, resulting in 75.09 total deaths.

California

The most populous state with nearly 39 million people, California reports a death rate of 10 per 100k people, resulting in 4,023 total deaths.

Connecticut

With just 3.6 million population, Connecticut has a record of 10 deaths per 100k people which results in 375 total deaths.

Top 10 Dangerous States for Driving, by Car Accident Fatality Rate in 2023

Wyoming

Despite its population of 584.1k, Wyoming holds the highest fatality rate at 27 deaths per 100k people, totaling 159.38 deaths—concerning given its smaller size.

Mississippi

Sharing Wyoming’s fatality rate, Mississippi, with 2.9 million residents, reports 799.99 deaths, indicating significant road safety risks for its population.

Arkansas

With 3.1 million inhabitants, Arkansas has a fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100k people, resulting in 688.11 deaths and ranking third on the list.

Tennessee

Despite a larger population of 7.1 million, Tennessee shares a fatality rate of 22 deaths per 100k people, recording the highest absolute number of deaths at 1,569.

South Carolina

Boasting 5.4 million residents, South Carolina’s fatality rate is 21 deaths per 100k people, resulting in a relatively high total of 1,138.68 deaths.

New Mexico

With 2.1 million people, New Mexico has a fatality rate of 21 deaths per 100k people, leading to a total of 447.50 deaths, proportionally high for its population size.

Alabama

Housing 5.1 million people, Alabama has a fatality rate of 20 deaths per 100k people, recording a total of 1,029.87 deaths, indicating a significant road safety issue.

Kentucky

With 4.5 million residents, Kentucky has a fatality rate of 20 deaths per 100k people, recording a total of 910.33 deaths, positioning it eighth on the list.

Louisiana

Hosting 4.6 million residents, Louisiana reports a lower fatality rate of 19 deaths per 100k people, with a total of 881.21 deaths.

Arizona

With a population of 7.4 million, Arizona has a fatality rate of 19 deaths per 100k people, resulting in the second-highest absolute number of deaths at 1,408.41.

Top 10 States with the Largest Increase in Car Accident Deaths from Last Year (2022-2023)

The data for the first nine months of 2023 indicates a troubling escalation in car accident fatalities across various states when compared to the same period in 2022.

Rhode Island witnessed the most significant increase, experiencing a 50% rise in car accident deaths from 38 in 2022 to 57 in 2023. Similarly, Arizona saw a 38% increase, with fatalities climbing from 664 to 919. South Dakota recorded a substantial 34% jump in car accident deaths, increasing from 83 to 111. Other states, such as South Dakota, Idaho, and Maryland, also observed notable increases of 34%, 18%, and 16%, respectively.

The overall trend highlights the urgency of addressing road safety concerns and implementing measures to reverse this concerning trajectory.

The first nine months of 2023 showed a promising decrease in car accident fatalities across several U.S. states, highlighting effective road safety measures. Nebraska led the improvement with a 24% reduction in deaths, followed by Maine (23%), Hawaii (21%), Massachusetts (20%), and New Jersey (19%).

Other notable decreases were seen in Montana, New Mexico, Vermont, and California, with reductions ranging from 17% to 16%, and Minnesota also contributed to the positive trend with a 13% drop. This data emphasizes the continued importance of enhancing road safety efforts.

I invite you to explore the full study here for a deeper dive into these narratives and a more comprehensive analysis.