These 10 states have the worst track record for speeding, study finds
A new study reveals which U.S. states have the most badly-behaved drivers based on rates of speeding recorded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
New research by Personal Injury Lawyers at Whitley Law Firm , reveals the states with the highest rates of dangerous driving behaviors on American roads.
Using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System from 2018 to 2022, the study ranked all states based on rates of speeding and drunk driving incidents per 100,000 residents.
South Carolina ranks as the most dangerous state for speeding-related crashes. The state recorded 7.74 speeding vehicles involved in crashes per 100,000 residents, which is significantly higher than most other states.
Wyoming followed closely in second place with 7.25 speeding vehicles involved in crashes per 100,000 residents. New Mexico ranked third with 6.75, while Montana and Missouri completed the top five with 5.82 and 5.53, respectively.
The study found that Montana had the highest rate of drunk driving, with 7.60 drunk drivers involved in crashes per 100,000 residents. South Carolina ranked second for drunk driving with 6.61, followed by Louisiana with a rate of 6.44.
Four states appear in both top five rankings for speeding and drunk driving: South Carolina, Montana, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
Meanwhile, Florida recorded the lowest rate of speeding vehicles involved in crashes at just 1.29 per 100,000 residents. This is notably lower than the national average.
New Jersey ranked second-lowest for speeding with 1.41 vehicles per 100,000 residents, followed by Massachusetts(1.42), New York (1.60), and Nebraska (1.75).
For drunk driving, New York had the lowest rate with 1.33 drunk drivers involved in crashes per 100,000 residents. The District of Columbia ranked second-lowest with 1.57, followed by Massachusetts (1.81), Utah (1.93), and Pennsylvania (1.94).
The study found Rhode Island had the highest percentage of speeding vehicles as a proportion of all vehicles involved in crashes, at 33.2%.
Montana not only had the highest rate of drunk drivers per capita but also the highest percentage of drunk drivers as a proportion of all drivers involved in crashes, at 35.61%. This means that in Montana, more than one-third of drivers involved in crashes were drunk.
The analysis shows significant regional patterns. Southern states like South Carolina and Louisiana appear frequently in the highest-risk categories, while northeastern states like New York and Massachusetts consistently show lower risk rates.
A total of five states appeared in both the bottom ten for speeding and drunk driving: New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
Mississippi ranked 47th for the percentage of speeding vehicles involved in crashes (10.7%) but 24th for drunk drivers per 100,000 population.
A spokesperson from Whitley Law Firm commented on the findings:
"The level of dangerous driving we see in some of these states is alarming and points to serious road safety issues that need addressing. Accidents caused by speeding and drunk driving are almost entirely preventable, yet they continue to claim lives across America. Every speeding or drunk driving crash represents a failure of personal responsibility. Simple choices like slowing down and arranging alternate transportation after drinking can save lives.
The data in this study shows clear patterns that could help target safety campaigns and enforcement efforts where they're most needed."