Montana scored a whopping 100/100 during the study—and that’s not a good thing. If you think about it, there are many roads that lead through mountain passes that, when combined with snowy and icy conditions, become very treacherous.
Speeding is responsible for more than a third of fatal crashes in Montana. However, impaired and negligent driving led to nearly 90% of Montana’s auto fatalities. While Montana has many bucket-list sights to see, think twice before setting out on the road to this state.
South Carolina, though marginally ahead of Montana, still falls alarmingly close with a 98/100 rating, hardly instilling confidence in drivers. Speeding remains a pervasive issue, contributing to over a third of fatal crashes.
Moreover, the scourge of impaired driving casts a long shadow, with a staggering 71% of fatalities linked to driving under the influence. These statistics underscore the urgent need to address reckless driving behaviors and enhance safety measures on South Carolina's roads.
New Mexico presents a concerning landscape for drivers, particularly on its rural highways cutting through mountainous terrain. Scoring 96/100 for safety, it only marginally surpasses other risky states.
Disturbingly, fatalities surged by 21% from 2020 to 2021, indicating a deteriorating safety situation. Speeding contributed to 39% of fatalities, while impairment played a role in a staggering 69%.
As you peruse this list, you may notice a trend of western states. It could be due to amount of both long, straight highways (more prone to speeders) and rural highways through mountainous passes (very dangerous during unfavorable weather). Wyoming is no exception.
While these road conditions are hard to contend with, the drivers behind the wheel can be just as dangerous. 72% were impaired, and 41% were speeding. On the bright side, the state saw 13% fewer driving fatalities between 2020 and 2021, hopefully beginning a safer driving trend.
Texas is known for its wide open spaces. This expansive state has an extensive road system. Though it’s not afflicted with as many treacherous roadways, the standout stat about this state is the percentage of impaired driving fatalities—91%.
That’s right, Texas boasts the largest percentage of fatalities due to driving under the influence. When you hear the advice to “drive defensively”, be sure to take that most seriously while driving through Texas.
Our first true southern state on the list, Louisiana, provides a different landscape from what we’ve seen. Roads are not as perilous as previously mentioned states. Nonetheless, the state still sees a high number of fatal crashes—19 per 100,000 residents.
Approximately two-thirds of the fatalities involve impairment while driving. Speeding accounts for one-third of fatal crashes. Be sure to keep these statistics in mind next time you plan a trip to this southern state.
Back to our western trend, Arizona crash fatalities follow the same patterns as other western states. 77% of fatal crashes are due to impairment, and 32% are due to speeding.
Unfortunately, Arizona has only seen an increase in fatal crashes. Between 2020 and 2021, there was an increase of 12% in the state. Arizona is a popular destination for road trips. Be wary if you plan to be on the road often in this state.
Missouri is in the top ten dangerous states to drive in and hasn’t seen much change in fatal crashes year to year. From 2020 to 2021, the state saw an increase of 3% in fatalities. Though not as drastic an increase as some states, any increase is disheartening.
Two-thirds of the fatal crashes involved drivers driving impaired, and over one-third were from speeding. We’d like to see this state make a turnaround for the better, as Missouri attracts many tourists each year.
One might be surprised to see Oregon make the list of the top ten dangerous states to drive in. This could be due to the sheer number of people moving to Oregon in the past few years—it has some of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S.
Oregon sees a high percentage of fatal crashes due to driving under the influence, with an intimidating 80%. Speeding only accounts for 26%, the lowest percentage we’ve seen so far. However, we’ve seen an uptick in fatalities in recent years. Oregon saw an increase of fatal crashes by 18% during 2020-2021.
Though it’s last on the list, it’s far from a safe state to drive in. Alabama is another southern state in which you should reconsider spending a lot of time on the road. With 17 fatal crashes per 100,000 residents, it ranks eighth among the states.
About two-thirds of fatal crashes are due to driving impaired, and one-third are due to speeding. Sadly, an increase in fatal crashes is what statistics are showing. Between 2020 and 2021, Alabama showed an increase of 5% when it came to fatal crashes.
