Ten of the Most Dangerous States for Car Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), there were 34,247 fatal motor vehicle crashes in 2017. Fatal or not, auto accidents are known to cause substantial damages, including personal injury and financial losses.
By looking at accident data and other sources of information, attorney Sean Burke has broken down the most dangerous states for car accidents. Unfortunately for our Orange County, CA clients, California is considered to be among the top 10 most dangerous states for driving.
Florida
In 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Fatalities by State report recorded 3,112 police reported traffic fatalities in Florida. Florida is one of the largest and most highly populated states, which can account for its high number of car accidents.
However, according to the NHTSA's 2016 State Traffic Data report, the number of fatal car accidents in Florida was calculated at 1.47 per 100 million vehicle miles driven, which ranks it among the 10 worst in the nation.
Another downfall for Florida? In a 2017 news release, the Insurance Research Council estimated that as of 2015, 26.7 percent of its drivers were uninsured, ranking it as the state with the most uninsured drivers.
Mississippi
Mississippi reported 690 traffic fatalities in 2017. This may not sound like a high number compared to Florida, but their fatalities per miles driven is actually higher.
Based on those 2016 figures from the NHTSA, Mississippi’s fatality rate was 1.69.
The Insurance Research Council estimates that 23.7 percent of Mississippi drivers are uninsured.
Louisiana
Louisiana is another southern state that is ranked among the most dangerous to drive in. The NHTSA reported 760 traffic fatalities in 2017. In 2016, the fatality rate was 1.54, and the uninsured driver percentage was 13.
Tennessee
There were 1,040 fatalities in Tennessee in 2017. Tennessee is considered one of the most dangerous states to drive in due to a combination of the traffic fatality rate (1.35 per 100 million miles driven) and its high rate of uninsured drivers (20 percent).
Oklahoma
Oklahoma had 655 traffic fatalities in 2017, and 1.39 fatalities per 100 million miles driven in 2016. The percentage of uninsured drivers was 10.5.
Texas
Like Florida, Texas is a big state with a high number of traffic fatalities: 3,722 in 2017. Fatalities per 100 million miles driven calculated to 1.39 in 2016. The percentage of uninsured drivers was 14.1.
Nevada
Nevada had 309 traffic fatalities in 2017, and 1.22 fatalities per 100 million miles driven in 2016. These numbers are better than some states. The percentage of uninsured drivers was 10.6.
California
There were 3,602 traffic fatalities in California in 2017. In 2016, California experienced 1.07 fatalities per 100 million miles driven, which is considerably lower than many other states ranked among the 10 most dangerous. In addition, it is estimated that 15.2 percent of the state’s drivers were uninsured.
If you have been injured in a car accident in California, contact our Orange County practice for legal guidance.
Alabama
This state had 948 traffic fatalities in 2017, and 1.50 traffic fatalities per 100 million miles driven in 2016. Just over 18 percent of the state’s drivers were uninsured.
Georgia
Another southern state rounds out the list of the most dangerous states for car accidents. Georgia had 1,540 traffic fatalities in 2017. And in 2016, traffic fatalities in the state were calculated to be 1.27 per 100 million miles driven. In addition, it is estimated that 12 percent of the state’s drivers were uninsured.
Contact Us
No matter where you live, car accidents can result in catastrophic injuries and damages. Contact us at your earliest convenience to learn more, or call us in Orange County at (949) 644-3434 to schedule a consultation.