A Georgia law firm specializing in auto accidents, Baderscott.com, has released a study on the riskiest and safest states for drivers in the U.S., based on data from 2022 and 2023.

Danger Zones on the Road

Surprisingly, Wyoming, with a small population of only 584,100, tops the danger list with a concerning fatality rate of 27 per 100,000 people.

Mississippi follows closely with the same rate but a much larger population (2.9 million).

Here’s a breakdown of the other states ranked 3rd to 10th riskiest for drivers (all data from 2023):

  • Arkansas (3rd): Fatality rate – 22 per 100,000, Total deaths – 688.11 (population – 3.1 million).
  • Tennessee (tied-3rd): Fatality rate – 22 per 100,000, Total deaths – 1,569 (population – 7.1 million) (Highest absolute number of deaths).
  • South Carolina (5th): Fatality rate – 21 per 100,000, Total deaths – 1,138.68 (population – 5.4 million).
  • New Mexico (6th): Fatality rate – 21 per 100,000, Total deaths – 447.50 (population – 2.1 million).
  • Alabama (7th): Fatality rate – 20 per 100,000, Total deaths – 1,029.87 (population – 5.1 million).
  • Kentucky (8th): Fatality rate – 20 per 100,000, Total deaths – 910.33 (population – 4.5 million).
  • Louisiana (9th): Fatality rate – 19 per 100,000, Total deaths – 881.21 (population – 4.6 million).
  • Arizona (10th): Fatality rate – 19 per 100,000, Total deaths – 1,408.41 (population – 7.4 million) (Second-highest absolute number of deaths).

Leaders in Road Safety

The study identified New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey as the safest states.

  • New York (safest): Fatality rate – 5 per 100,000, Total deaths – 1,055.92 (population – 19.5 million).
  • Massachusetts (2nd safest): Fatality rate – 6 per 100,000, Total deaths – 392.33 (population – 7 million).
  • New Jersey (3rd safest): Fatality rate – 7 per 100,000, Total deaths – 658.99 (population – 9.3 million).

This study highlights the importance of road safety measures, especially considering the national challenge of car accident fatalities (nearly 45,000 in 2023).