Worst States for Traffic-Related Fatalities (2024)

Despite advancements in telematics systems and other vehicle safety technologies, there are more than 35,000 people auto accident deaths every year. That’s one person for every 100 million miles traveled. 

So, where do the most car accidents happen in the U.S.? 

The states with the most car accidents are Texas, California, and Florida. All three also rank among the deadliest states for pedestrians and bicyclists.

However, these states have some of the highest populations in the country. More people on the road increases the likelihood of an accident, but this doesn’t mean they are the worst states for driving.

In order to find the worst states with highest traffic fatalities, we looked at the highest fatality rates per 100,000 people. Here are the top five states with most traffic fatalities per capita

• Mississippi
• Wyoming
• Arkansas
• South Carolina
• Montana

In addition, here are the top five states with the most pedestrian deaths per csapita:

• New Mexico
• Florida
• Delaware 
• South Carolina
• Arizona

As you can see, South Carolina ranks on both lists. 

Our study examines the leading cause of car accidents and vehicle deaths, as well as how fatal car crash statistics for your state impact the cost of auto insurance. 

Safe drivers can earn discounts for keeping a clean driving record, which will help you save money on car insurance if you live in one of the top 10 states with the most fatal car accidents.

Top 10 Worst States for Traffic-Related Fatalities

Do you live in one of the most dangerous states for drivers in America? You might live in one of the worst states for drunk driving without knowing. Mississippi is the state with most fatal car accidents per 100,000 people, or the state with the most car accidents per capita. 

Ten Most Dangerous States for Drivers

State	Number of Fatal Traffic Accidents per Month	Number of Deaths per 100,000 People	% of Fatal Accidents Involving Alcohol	% of Fatal Accidents With no Seat Belt
Mississippi	53	25.4	26%	42%
Wyoming	12	22	25%	49%
Arkansas	42	21.2	25%	48%
South Carolina	83	20.7	28%	53%
Montana	15	19.6	36%	62%
New Mexico	35	18.8	31%	54%
Alabama	78	18.6	30%	54%
Louisiana	61	17.8	30%	54%
Tennessee	95	17.6	26%	48%
Kentucky	61	17.3	20%	54%

At least 20 people per 100,000 died in traffic-related fatalities in Mississippi, Wyoming, Arkansas, and South Carolina. More than half of these fatal crash victims were drivers, but pedestrians and cyclists make up 10%-15% of car accident fatalities. 

Both South Carolina and New Mexico were among the deadliest states with most auto accidents per capita in 2019.

State	Total Number of Pedestrian Deaths	Total Number of Cyclist Deaths	Number of Pedestrian Deaths per 100,000 People
New Mexico	83	9	3.96
Florida	713	161	3.32
Delaware	32	7	3.29
South Carolina	160	26	3.11
Arizona	212	30	2.91
Hawaii	36	4	2.54
Louisiana	118	22	2.54
California	972	133	2.46
Alabama	119	6	2.43
Texas	649	66	2.24

California, Florida, and Texas may have the highest number of pedestrian deaths, but New Mexico is the most dangerous state for pedestrians compared to its population size. In New Mexico, 20% of fatal accidents involve pedestrians. Texas and California also tout the most traffic deaths by state due to extremely large populations. California is often known for being the worst state for traffic, as standstill traffic jams are common.

Looking at traffic deaths by state, places such as Montana and Wyoming also top lists. These states have lesser populations but still have high automobile deaths per year due to rural roads. North Dakota and Wyoming also have high vehicle deaths per year. Drunk driving causes the worst traffic accidents in these areas.

Cyclists make up a small percentage of highway deaths — the national average is 2%. New Mexico is on par with the national average. However, in Florida, 5% of fatal accidents involve cyclists, and the average is 3% in Delaware.

Which state has the most car accidents?

Texas has the most deadly car accidents, with 3,615 traffic-related fatalities in 2019. California is a close second state with most traffic deaths, with 3,606. 

Since California is the most populous state in the country, followed by Texas, we examined the number of traffic fatalities per 100,000 people to find a more accurate portrayal of driving safety. 

In our study, Mississippi has the worst fatality rate, with more than 25 deaths per 100,000 people. Over a quarter of the fatal accidents in Mississippi are caused by drunk drivers, and nearly half occur on rural roads as opposed to freeways. 

What state has the fewest fatal car accidents?

Massachusetts is the state with the least car accident deaths per year with less than five deaths per 100,000 people.

State	Number of Fatal Traffic Accidents per Year	Number of Deaths per 100,000 People
Massachusetts	334	4.9
New York	931	5.2
Washington, D.C.	23	5.2
Hawaii	85	5.9
Rhode Island	67	6.1
New Jersey	584	6.3
Minnesota	394	6.9
Washington	560	7.3
New Hampshire	104	7.5
Connecticut	295	8.2

Overall, the safest states have fewer than 10 deaths per 100,000 people. And, save for New York, fewer than 100 pedestrians and cyclists die in traffic-related accidents every year in the safest states.

What is the leading cause of vehicle deaths in the U.S.?

More fatal accidents occur on roads with speed limits of 55 mph or higher. Speeding fatalities make up the majority of vehicular deaths per year. 

Drivers going faster than the posted speed limit led to the most fatal crashes (17.2%) in 2019. Nearly 19% of these drivers had previous speeding convictions on their licenses.

Driving under the influence (10.1%) and failure to yield the right of way (7.3%) are the next major driving factors that lead to fatal accidents. Alcohol was involved in nearly a third of the traffic-related fatalities discussed above, and more than half of these accidents may have been avoided if the victims had been wearing seat belts.

However, more than 15,000 traffic-related fatalities are caused by unknown factors, and more than half of fatal accidents involve good drivers with clean driving records.

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Does location affect auto insurance rates?

Location is a significant factor in determining car insurance rates. Auto insurance companies consider traffic fatalities, commute times, and the auto theft rates in your city and state before issuing a policy.

The policy type and level of coverage you choose will also impact how much you pay. For example, each state requires minimum liability insurance, and these limits vary based on the number of accidents and uninsured motorists in your state.

Look at this table to compare average auto insurance rates by state.

Auto Insurance Monthly Rates by State & Coverage Level

You likely pay more for auto insurance if you live in a state with a higher number of car accidents. However, you can still get cheap auto insurance quotes if you maintain a good driving record, park your car in a garage, and install additional safety features in your vehicle.

Living in states with dangerous driving conditions typically cause higher insurance premiums. When looking into car accidents by state per capita, some states rank higher because of road conditions, driver behavior, and traffic volume.

         Mississippi frequents the top of the list of fatal car accidents by state. This makes it one of the worst states for car insurance due to a high risk of accidents. Other states, like Wyoming or South Carolina, have high car accidents per capita by state.

When researching the state with most car crashes, Texas emerges at top. Other states with most car accidents include California and Florida. The accident rate by state shows that these states face high numbers of traffic incidents, driven by high population commuter traffic.

Do safe drivers get cheap auto insurance rates?

Insurance companies consider your driving record when calculating rates, and safe drivers pay less for car insurance because they are less likely to file a claim. For example, one car accident can raise your rates by $1,000 per year or more. 

See how rates vary based on driving record in this table.

Auto Insurance Average Rates by Driving Record

Driving Record	Monthly Rates
Clean Record	$119
One Accident	$173
One DUI	$209
One Ticket	$147

Maintaining a good driving record can help you avoid higher rates in the future. Most insurers also offer discounts for safe drivers. Depending on where you buy auto insurance, you may be eligible to earn 5%-20% off your annual auto insurance rates. 

How can you earn safe driving discounts? 

Some drivers sign up for usage-based auto insurance and telematics programs to track their driving habits and earn discounts. 

If your insurer doesn’t provide telematics technology, you can earn discounts by taking defensive driving courses that will teach you how to better anticipate other drivers’ behaviors on the road. Most companies also reward drivers with reduced rates for remaining accident-free every year they renew.

Before you buy, remember you’ll find the cheapest auto insurance rates when you compare multiple companies online to find one that offers the safe driving discounts you need. 

What You Need to Know About the Worst States for Traffic-Related Fatalities

The worst states for traffic fatalities are Mississippi, Wyoming, and Arkansas. In addition, more than half of the top 10 states with the most fatal car accidents are in the Southern region of the U.S., meaning car insurance rates are more expensive in these states. 

Insurance companies consider the risk each state represents, including fatality, accident, and auto theft rates when determining quotes for local drivers. If you live in one of the worst states for traffic-related fatalities, you can expect higher auto insurance quotes. 

Maintaining a clean driving record is the easiest way to get cheap auto insurance rates in states with the most car accidents. For example, insurance companies will reward you with discounts if you take defensive driving courses and remain accident and claim-free during your annual policy. 

However, you may have to shop for insurance with high-risk companies if you’ve been involved in an accident. Rates for high-risk auto insurance are more expensive, but you can still find a competitive price when you shop around online and compare auto insurance quotes from multiple companies.

When comparing the states with the most car accidents per capita, states such as Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina top the list. High accident rates cause more road fatalities by state. Car accident fatalities by state data show that South Carolina, Louisiana, and Mississippi suffer from a high number of traffic deaths compared to their populations. This makes them some of the worst states for traffic accidents.

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Methodology: How to Determine the Worst States for Traffic-Related Fatalities

We used the 2019 National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) FARS data to find the number of traffic fatalities per state. First, we considered how many auto deaths occurred per 100,000 persons to find an accurate representation based on each state’s population size. 

On average, 11 per 100,000 people die in auto-related accidents in the U.S. The worst states have a significantly higher rate of death per 100,000, with Mississippi being the state with the most fatal car accidents per capita (25.4 per 100,000).

We also considered the percentage of drunk driving-related fatalities and seat belt usage to determine how many of these fatal accidents were caused by careless drivers.

For pedestrians and cyclists, states were also ranked by the number of deaths per 100,000 to accurately represent population size.

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