Safest States To Drive In

Overall, road safety in the United States has significantly improved over the last decade. Across the nation, road fatalities are down 22.9% since 2005. However, a recent study by University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute determined that road safety varies greatly by region and state. Though 47 states decreased fatalities on the road, there were three in which fatalities increased: Vermont, Maine, and North Dakota.

The study showed that the most dangerous places to drive were in the the Northern Plains states and in the South. The safest states to drive were mostly in New England. This disparity could be attributed to a number of factors. One might be each state’s wealth as the top seven safest states are all part of the top 20 wealthiest, while 6 of the 7 most dangerous states rank in the poorest 20 states. Other studies have shown that though wealthy and poor individuals drink and drive equal amounts, wealthier individuals have access to safer cars and are more likely to buckle their seat belt. However, wealth was not the only factor. States with faster access to emergency care were more likely to be safer. Experts suggest that there could me many other factors that contribute to road safety including state driving laws, state driving enforcement, road conditions, access to emergency care, and many other possibilities.

Thankfully, road safety is getting better as our technology improves with our knowledge of safety, but improvements in the future can always be made.

Fatality Rate per Distance Driven:

1. District of Columbia: 4.2 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
2. Massachusetts: 6.24 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
3. Minnesota: 6.93 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
4. Connecticut: 7.55 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
5. Washington: 7.82 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
6. New Jersey: 7.94 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
7. Utah: 8.18 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
8. Rhode Island: 8.20 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
9. New Hampshire: 8.38 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
10. California: 8.76 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
11. Maryland: 8.94 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
12. New York: 9.11 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
13. Illinois: 9.14 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
14. Virginia: 9.60 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
15. Indiana: 9.87 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
16. Michigan: 9.92 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
17. Ohio: 9.96 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
18. Colorado: 10.09 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
19. Oregon: 10.13 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
20. Wisconsin: 10.41 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
21. Vermont: 10.67 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
22. Nevada: 10.68 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
23. Nebraska: 11.00 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
24. Georgia: 11.09 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
25. Idaho: 11.28 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
26. Maine: 11.55 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
27. Iowa: 11.55 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
28. Missouri: 12.06 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
29. North Carolina: 12.31 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
30. Alaska: 12.31 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
31. Delaware: 12.41 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
32. Hawaii: 12.54 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
33. Florida: 12.67 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
34. Kansas: 13.25 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
35. Pennsylvania: 13.25 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
36. Wyoming: 13.27 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
37. Alabama: 13.32 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
38. Arizona: 13.72 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
39. Tennessee: 14.25 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
40. New Mexico: 14.28 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
41. Texas: 14.29 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
42. South Dakota: 14.59 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
43. Oklahoma: 14.79 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
44. Mississippi: 15.05 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
45. Louisiana: 15.40 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
46. Kentucky: 15.76 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
47. Arkansas: 16.47 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
48. North Dakota: 16.86 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
49. Montana: 17.25 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
50. South Carolina: 17.60 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012
51. West Virginia: 17.63 fatalities per 1 billion miles driven in 2012