These 25 states have seen the biggest increase in fatal auto collisions in the US

By Stacker

Published July 18, 2023 10:58 pm

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These 25 states have seen the biggest increase in fatal auto collisions in the US

Aftermath of one car crashing into the front-seat passenger side of another car on the street.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented increase in fatal traffic collisions. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, fatal crashes increased by nearly 17% during the first two years of the pandemic, among the largest two-year increase in history. This sharp rise was punctuated by the deadliest year since 1990, with 39,508 fatal collisions in 2021 alone.

While early estimates for 2022 show that the fatal collisions and roadway deaths have leveled off, they have yet to return to prepandemic levels and remain at historic highs.

Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi examined three years of fatal collision data from the NHTSA (2019 – 2021) to find out which states experienced the biggest changes and, ultimately, where motorists may be at increased risk of being killed in a crash.

Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi

What Drove the Increase in Fatal Car Collisions?

A chart showing fatal collision data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and which states are affected the most.

According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), during the COVID-19 pandemic years, more drivers may have engaged in riskier behavior such as failure to wear seat belts, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. NHTSA data seems to agree with that position. Notably, collisions involving commercial trucks, pedestrians, speed, and alcohol increased sharply between 2019 and 2021.

However, just as the impact of the pandemic was felt differently from region to region, so too was its effect on traffic safety.

Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi

Deadly Car Crashes Increased the Most in These 25 States

A chart showing the top 25 states that saw the most fatalities increase from car crashes.

During the observation period, fatal crashes increased in 45 states and the District of Columbia. Of these 25 that had increases greater than the national average of 18%, D.C. led by an increase of 82%, followed by Vermont (57%) and South Dakota (49%).

Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi

Only Six States Saw a Drop in Car Fatalities

A chart showing the six states that saw a drop in car crash fatalities.

As previously mentioned, only six states experienced a decrease in fatal crashes during this time period. Wyoming led the way with a 15% decrease from 2019, followed by Nebraska (9% decrease), Hawaii (8% decrease), North Dakota (7% decrease), Maine (6% decrease), and Alaska (5% decrease).

Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi

Comparing Crash Increases for Every State

A bar chart compares every US state and D.C. based on the changes in fatal car crashes.

How does your state measure up? Below, we provide data for every U.S. state and the District of Columbia.

1. District of Columbia

82% increase / +18 crashes

2019 – 22 fatal crashes
2021 – 40 fatal crashes

2. Vermont

57% increase / +25 crashes

2019 – 44 fatal crashes
2021 – 69 fatal crashes

3. South Dakota

49% increase / +43 crashes

2019 – 88 fatal crashes
2021 – 131 fatal crashes

4. Arkansas

35% increase / +164 crashes

2019 – 467 fatal crashes
2021 – 631 fatal crashes

5. Minnesota

35% increase / +118 crashes

2019 – 333 fatal crashes
2021 – 451 fatal crashes

6. Montana

34% increase / +56 crashes

2019 – 166 fatal crashes
2021 – 222 fatal crashes

7. Louisiana

30% increase / +206 crashes

2019 – 681 fatal crashes
2021 – 887 fatal crashes

8. Utah

30% increase / +68 crashes

2019 – 225 fatal crashes
2021 – 293 fatal crashes

9. Illinois

29% increase / +272 crashes

2019 – 938 fatal crashes
2021 – 1210 fatal crashes

10. New Jersey

27% increase / +144 crashes

2019 – 525 fatal crashes
2021 – 669 fatal crashes

11. Nevada

26% increase / +75 crashes

2019 – 285 fatal crashes
2021 – 360 fatal crashes

12. New York

25% increase / +223 crashes

2019 – 876 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,099 fatal crashes

13. Massachusetts

24% increase / +76 crashes

2019 – 321 fatal crashes
2021 – 397 fatal crashes

14. Texas

23% increase / +774 crashes

2019 – 3,294 fatal crashes
2021 – 4,068 fatal crashes

15. Washington

22% increase / +109 crashes

2019 – 494 fatal crashes
2021 – 603 fatal crashes

16. Oregon

22% increase / +101 crashes

2019 – 451 fatal crashes
2021 – 552 fatal crashes

17. Georgia

21% increase / +293 crashes

2019 – 1,377 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,670 fatal crashes

18. South Carolina

21% increase / +190 crashes

2019 – 922 fatal crashes
2021 – 1112 fatal crashes

19. Connecticut

21% increase / +50 crashes

2019 – 233 fatal crashes
2021 – 283 fatal crashes

20. Idaho

21% increase / +43 crashes

2019 – 201 fatal crashes
2021 – 244 fatal crashes

21. California

20% increase / +667 crashes

2019 – 3,316 fatal crashes
2021 – 3,983 fatal crashes

More on the deadliest highways in California

22. North Carolina

20% increase / +251 crashes

2019 – 1,284 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,535 fatal crashes

23. Ohio

20% increase / +203 crashes

2019 – 1,039 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,242 fatal crashes

24. Mississippi

20% increase / +116 crashes

2019 – 581 fatal crashes
2021 – 697 fatal crashes

25. Michigan

19% increase / +170 crashes

2019 – 902 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,072 fatal crashes

26. Tennessee

18% increase / +189 crashes

2019 – 1,040 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,229 fatal crashes

27. New Hampshire

18% increase / +16 crashes

2019 – 90 fatal crashes
2021 – 106 fatal crashes

28. Florida

17% increase / +501 crashes

2019 – 2,950 fatal crashes
2021 – 3,451 fatal crashes

29. Arizona

17% increase / +153 crashes

2019 – 910 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,063 fatal crashes

30. Virginia

17% increase / +132 crashes

2019 – 774 fatal crashes
2021 – 906 fatal crashes

31. Oklahoma

17% increase / +97 crashes

2019 – 584 fatal crashes
2021 – 681 fatal crashes

32. Colorado

17% increase / +94 crashes

2019 – 544 fatal crashes
2021 – 638 fatal crashes

33. Pennsylvania

16% increase / +163 crashes

2019 – 990 fatal crashes
2021 – 1,153 fatal crashes

34. New Mexico

16% increase / +59 crashes

2019 – 368 fatal crashes
2021 – 427 fatal crashes

35. Indiana

15% increase / +112 crashes

2019 – 751 fatal crashes
2021 – 863 fatal crashes

36. Rhode Island

15% increase / +8 crashes

2019 – 53 fatal crashes
2021 – 61 fatal crashes

37. Missouri

14% increase / +113 crashes

2019 – 818 fatal crashes
2021 – 931 fatal crashes

38. Kentucky

10% increase / +67 crashes

2019 – 667 fatal crashes
2021 – 734 fatal crashes

39. Wisconsin

9% increase / +46 crashes

2019 – 526 fatal crashes
2021 – 572 fatal crashes

40. Maryland

8% increase / +38 crashes

2019 – 484 fatal crashes
2021 – 522 fatal crashes

41. Delaware

8% increase / +10 crashes

2019 – 122 fatal crashes
2021 – 132 fatal crashes

42. Kansas

5% increase / +19 crashes

2019 – 362 fatal crashes
2021 – 381 fatal crashes

43. Iowa

5% increase / +16 crashes

2019 – 313 fatal crashes
2021 – 329 fatal crashes

44. West Virginia

4% increase / +10 crashes

2019 – 247 fatal crashes
2021 – 257 fatal crashes

45. Alabama

3% increase / +29 crashes

2019 – 856 fatal crashes
2021 – 885 fatal crashes

46. Alaska

-5% decrease / -5 crashes

2019 – 62 fatal crashes
2021 – 59 fatal crashes

47. Maine

-6% decrease / -6 crashes

2019 – 143 fatal crashes
2021 – 135 fatal crashes

48. North Dakota

-7% decrease / -7 crashes

2019 – 91 fatal crashes
2021 – 85 fatal crashes

49. Hawaii

-8% decrease / -8 crashes

2019 – 102 fatal crashes
2021 – 94 fatal crashes

50. Nebraska

-9% decrease / -9 crashes

2019 – 212 fatal crashes
2021 – 192 fatal crashes

51. Wyoming

-15% decrease / -15 crashes

2019 – 120 fatal crashes
2021 – 102 fatal crashes

How to Use This Information

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg considers the situation on U.S. roadways to be a national crisis and that the Department of Transportation is working to strengthen transportation safety throughout the country.

“Through our National Roadway Safety Strategy, we’re strengthening traffic safety across the country, and working toward a day when these preventable tragedies are a thing of the past,” Buttigieg said.

However, there are several steps that motorists can take to increase their own traffic safety and avoid a potentially deadly car accident.

Always wear your safety belt (or wear a helmet while operating a motorcycle or bicycle)
Avoid driving after using drugs or alcohol
Don’t text and drive
Follow speed limits and other traffic control and safety signals
Be aware of your surroundings and other road motorists
Watch out for pedestrians

Data & Methodology

This publication is based on an analysis of Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the years 2019, 2020, and 2021. Rankings are based on the percentage of increase in fatal collisions during the observation period.

This story was produced by Panish | Shea | Boyle | Ravipudi and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.

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