In 2024 so far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that an estimated 18,720 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes, marking a 3.2% decrease from the projected 19,330 fatalities in the first half of 2023.
Fatalities saw a drop in both the first and second quarters of 2024.
Even though COVID-19 initially cleared the roads, many state officials believe it also spurred riskier driving behavior, with distracted and drunk driving rates climbing as a result.
AAA research further showed that people already inclined to drive recklessly actually spent more time on the road during the pandemic.
Some states saw especially sharp increases in accidents in 2020, while others continued to experience high accident rates due to factors like poor road conditions and high speed limits.
A notable factor here is that drivers in Mississippi reported spending about 8% of their driving time on their phones, and the state also ranks among the lowest in seat belt use.
Key Takeaways
States With Most Fatal Car Crashes by Population
State
Population
Licensed Drivers
Fatal Crashes
Deaths per 100,000
Alabama
5,024,803
4,042,900
852
18.6
Alaska
732,441
518,872
53
8.7
Arizona
7,177,986
5,681,495
967
14.7
Arkansas
3,012,232
2,153,929
585
21.2
California
39,499,738
27,005,302
3,558
9.7
Colorado
5,784,308
4,299,447
574
10.8
Connecticut
3,600,260
2,508,670
279
8.2
Delaware
991,886
829,226
104
11.7
District of Columbia
690,093
520,865
34
5.2
Florida
21,569,932
15,715,373
3,098
15.4
Georgia
10,725,800
7,521,750
1,522
15.5
Hawaii
1,451,911
921,547
81
5.9
Idaho
1,847,772
1,285,331
188
11.6
Illinois
12,785,245
8,225,298
1,087
9.3
Indiana
6,785,644
4,532,708
815
13.2
Iowa
3,188,669
2,268,916
304
10.6
Kansas
2,935,880
2,004,302
382
14.5
Kentucky
4,503,958
2,905,632
709
17.3
Louisiana
4,651,203
3,416,648
762
17.8
Maine
1,362,280
1,047,893
151
12.0
Maryland
6,172,679
4,454,266
540
9.2
Massachusetts
7,022,220
4,940,373
327
4.9
Michigan
10,067,664
7,026,650
1,011
10.8
Minnesota
5,707,165
4,090,264
369
6.9
Mississippi
2,956,870
2,017,111
687
25.4
Missouri
6,154,481
4,259,672
987
16.0
Montana
1,086,193
826,754
190
19.6
Nebraska
1,961,455
1,438,821
217
11.9
Nevada
3,114,071
2,056,394
293
10.2
New Hampshire
1,377,848
1,060,381
98
7.5
New Jersey
9,279,743
6,230,912
547
6.3
New Mexico
2,117,566
1,473,219
365
18.8
New York
20,154,933
12,194,360
963
5.2
North Carolina
10,457,177
7,637,400
1,412
14.7
North Dakota
778,962
539,006
96
12.8
Ohio
11,790,587
8,100,273
1,154
10.4
Oklahoma
3,962,031
2,550,560
599
16.5
Oregon
4,241,544
2,944,828
461
12.0
Pennsylvania
12,989,625
8,930,677
1,060
8.7
Rhode Island
1,096,229
731,715
66
6.1
South Carolina
5,130,729
3,905,911
962
20.7
South Dakota
887,009
658,091
132
15.9
Tennessee
6,920,119
4,877,268
1,119
17.6
Texas
29,217,653
17,667,039
3,520
13.3
Utah
3,281,684
2,149,766
256
8.4
Vermont
642,495
460,871
58
9.6
Virginia
8,632,044
5,909,716
796
9.8
Washington
7,718,785
5,812,500
525
7.3
West Virginia
1,789,798
1,101,775
249
14.9
Wisconsin
5,892,323
4,315,892
561
10.4
Wyoming
577,267
427,233
87
22
1. Mississippi
A new study shows Mississippi is the most dangerous state in the U.S. to drive in.
Key findings were:
* Mississippi has the most fatal car accidents (67.82 per 100,000 licensed drivers) and people killed in fatal crashes (24.52 per 100,000 residents).
* Mississippi has the…— SuperTalk Mississippi (@supertalk) September 2, 2024
As the state with the highest car accident death rate per 100,000 people, Mississippi tops the list, in part, due to high levels of distracted driving and low seatbelt use.
A study by World Population Review found that Mississippi’s road conditions are also among the worst in the country, with 30% of its roads rated as poor and 11% of bridges structurally deficient.
2. Wyoming
While Wyoming had only 87 fatal crashes in 2024, it recorded a death rate of 22 per 100,000 people.
Much of Wyoming’s standing can be attributed to its high rate of drunk driving incidents; the Wyoming Department of Transportation reported 772 alcohol-related crashes.
Despite its small population, Wyoming ranks as the state with the highest rate of drunk-driving incidents.
3. Arkansas
With 21.1 deaths per 100,000 people, Arkansas is third on the list.
In 2024, the ACHI reported a significant increase of about 120 car accident fatalities compared to 2019.
According to Arkansas Online, this spike marked a 24.9% rise in fatal crashes, driven mainly by increases in speeding and impaired driving.
4. South Carolina
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South Carolina reported 962 fatal crashes in 2024, with a death rate of 20.7 per 100,000 people.
Despite being fourth in terms of deaths per population, South Carolina leads the nation in deaths per 100 million miles traveled, at a rate of 1.97.
5. Montana
Montana ranks high both in car accident deaths per 100,000 people (19.6) and per miles traveled (1.76). The state also has one of the highest rates of drunk-driving fatalities, with 66% of deadly crashes involving impaired drivers.
There were 203 fatalities in 2023. There have been 164 fatalities on Montana highways in 2024 compared to 160 fatalities for this same time in 2023 according to the Montana Department of Transportation.
States with the Fewest Fatal Car Accidents
What Cars Are the Most Deadly Ones?
Certain types of vehicles are frequently associated with higher rates of fatal accidents, regardless of location. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), smaller vehicles—particularly small cars and minicars—dominate the list of models with the highest death rates.
In 2017, 15 of the top 20 models with the highest death rates were either small cars or minicars, while luxury SUVs had the lowest rates.
Data from IIHS further indicates that the Mitsubishi Mirage has the highest fatal accident rate, at 10.2 deaths per billion miles driven. Below is a table listing the top five deadliest cars from model years 2013 to 2017.
Sports cars and subcompact cars are consistently among the deadliest vehicles, largely because sports cars focus on speed and power over safety, while subcompact cars tend to be lighter with fewer safety features. When compared by size, subcompact cars had a fatal accident rate of 4.5, nearly double that of large cars, which had a rate of 2.6.
What Can You Do After Car Accident?
Car accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, so it’s essential to know what steps to take if you’re involved in one. Even if you don’t live in a high-risk area for accidents, being prepared is key.
If you’re in an accident, contact your insurance company as soon as possible to protect yourself and ensure a smoother claims process. After ensuring your own and any passengers’ safety, here’s what to do next:
1. Call 911
Regardless of the accident’s severity, contact the police. They’ll file an official accident report, which your insurer will likely request to help process your claim.
2. Exchange Information with the Other Party
Identifying who’s at fault is critical in the claims process, so it’s important to exchange information with the other driver at the scene. Take detailed notes, including any visible damage, as this information will be reviewed later by the claims adjuster.
3. File a Claim with Your Insurance Company
Once you’ve gathered all the necessary information, start the claims process by reaching out to your insurer. Many companies allow you to initiate a claim through their mobile app directly from the scene, providing an easy way to ask about the specific information needed.
Methodology
Data and insights were compiled using a variety of authoritative sources.
We relied on recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to present 2024 data on car accident fatalities and trends.
Additional state-specific data, such as death rates and causes, were sourced from state transportation departments and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for accuracy on vehicle safety and death rates by car model.
We included supporting studies from AAA, World Population Review, and consumer safety organizations to provide context on behaviors like distracted and drunk driving, as well as road conditions by state.
Finally, we reviewed state and federal legal guidelines, such as DUI laws, to highlight differences in regulatory impact across states.
References
- IIHS – State By State Yearly Snapshot, Driver Death Rates Remain High Among Small Cars
- NHTSA – National Statistics
- World Population Review – Fatal Car Accidents by State 2024, Speed Limits by State 2024
- Wyoming Department of Transportation – Fatalities 2024
- ACHI – Arkansas Has Nation’s Fourth-Highest Roadway Fatality Rate
- Arkansasonline – Report: Arkansas, with a 24.9% increase, had the third highest rise in traffic fatalities nationwide in 2020
- Montana Department Of Transportation – Fatalities in Montana
