Data / Rankings / Traffic fatality rate / US states

US states by traffic fatality rate

Mississippi had the highest traffic fatality rate of 51 states in 2018, at 22.3 per 100,000 people. District of Columbia had the lowest, at 4.5 per 100,000 people. The median was 11.4 per 100,000 people and the figure for the United States was 11.2 per 100,000 people. Source: NHTSA and BEA.

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Highest22.3Mississippi
Lowest4.5District of Columbia
Median11.451 states
United States11.2History

Map of states, 2018

Alabama: 19.1 per 100,000 peopleAlaska: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleArizona: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleArkansas: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleColorado: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleDelaware: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleFlorida: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleHawaii: 8 per 100,000 peopleIdaho: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleIllinois: 8 per 100,000 peopleIndiana: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleIowa: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleKansas: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleKentucky: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleMaine: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleMaryland: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleMichigan: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleMississippi: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleMissouri: 15 per 100,000 peopleMontana: 17 per 100,000 peopleNebraska: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNevada: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew York: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina: 14 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleOhio: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleOregon: 12 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania: 9.2 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleTennessee: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleTexas: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleUtah: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleVermont: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleWashington: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleWyoming: 19.3 per 100,000 people
  • Under 8.1
  • 8.1 to 9.9
  • 9.9 to 11
  • 11 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 and over
per 100,000 people, 2018. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2018

Mississippi: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleMississippi22.3South Carolina: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina20.6Wyoming: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleWyoming19.3Alabama: 19.1 per 100,000 peopleAlabama19.1New Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico18.6Arkansas: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleArkansas17.4Montana: 17 per 100,000 peopleMontana17Oklahoma: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma16.7Louisiana: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana16.5West Virginia: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia16.2Kentucky: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky16.1Tennessee: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleTennessee15.3Missouri: 15 per 100,000 peopleMissouri15South Dakota: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota14.9Florida: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleFlorida14.8Arizona: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleArizona14.5Georgia: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia14.3North Carolina: 14 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina14Kansas: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleKansas13.8North Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota13.6Idaho: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho13.2Texas: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleTexas12.8Indiana: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleIndiana12.8Oregon: 12 per 100,000 peopleOregon12Nebraska: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNebraska11.8Delaware: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware11.4Colorado: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleColorado11.1Nevada: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada10.9Alaska: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleAlaska10.8New Hampshire: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire10.8Vermont: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont10.6Maine: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleMaine10.1Iowa: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleIowa10.1Wisconsin: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10.1Michigan: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleMichigan9.7California: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia9.6Virginia: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia9.6Pennsylvania: 9.2 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania9.2Ohio: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleOhio9.1Maryland: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleMaryland8.3Utah: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleUtah8.2Connecticut: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut8.1Illinois: 8 per 100,000 peopleIllinois8Hawaii: 8 per 100,000 peopleHawaii8Washington: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleWashington7.1Minnesota: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota6.7New Jersey: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey6.1Rhode Island: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island5.4Massachusetts: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts5.1New York: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.8District of Columbia: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia4.5Mississippi: 22.3 per 100,000 peopleMississippi22.3South Carolina: 20.6 per 100,000 peopleSouth Carolina20.6Wyoming: 19.3 per 100,000 peopleWyoming19.3Alabama: 19.1 per 100,000 peopleAlabama19.1New Mexico: 18.6 per 100,000 peopleNew Mexico18.6Arkansas: 17.4 per 100,000 peopleArkansas17.4Montana: 17 per 100,000 peopleMontana17Oklahoma: 16.7 per 100,000 peopleOklahoma16.7Louisiana: 16.5 per 100,000 peopleLouisiana16.5West Virginia: 16.2 per 100,000 peopleWest Virginia16.2Kentucky: 16.1 per 100,000 peopleKentucky16.1Tennessee: 15.3 per 100,000 peopleTennessee15.3Missouri: 15 per 100,000 peopleMissouri15South Dakota: 14.9 per 100,000 peopleSouth Dakota14.9Florida: 14.8 per 100,000 peopleFlorida14.8Arizona: 14.5 per 100,000 peopleArizona14.5Georgia: 14.3 per 100,000 peopleGeorgia14.3North Carolina: 14 per 100,000 peopleNorth Carolina14Kansas: 13.8 per 100,000 peopleKansas13.8North Dakota: 13.6 per 100,000 peopleNorth Dakota13.6Idaho: 13.2 per 100,000 peopleIdaho13.2Texas: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleTexas12.8Indiana: 12.8 per 100,000 peopleIndiana12.8Oregon: 12 per 100,000 peopleOregon12Nebraska: 11.8 per 100,000 peopleNebraska11.8Delaware: 11.4 per 100,000 peopleDelaware11.4Colorado: 11.1 per 100,000 peopleColorado11.1Nevada: 10.9 per 100,000 peopleNevada10.9Alaska: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleAlaska10.8New Hampshire: 10.8 per 100,000 peopleNew Hampshire10.8Vermont: 10.6 per 100,000 peopleVermont10.6Maine: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleMaine10.1Iowa: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleIowa10.1Wisconsin: 10.1 per 100,000 peopleWisconsin10.1Michigan: 9.7 per 100,000 peopleMichigan9.7California: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleCalifornia9.6Virginia: 9.6 per 100,000 peopleVirginia9.6Pennsylvania: 9.2 per 100,000 peoplePennsylvania9.2Ohio: 9.1 per 100,000 peopleOhio9.1Maryland: 8.3 per 100,000 peopleMaryland8.3Utah: 8.2 per 100,000 peopleUtah8.2Connecticut: 8.1 per 100,000 peopleConnecticut8.1Illinois: 8 per 100,000 peopleIllinois8Hawaii: 8 per 100,000 peopleHawaii8Washington: 7.1 per 100,000 peopleWashington7.1Minnesota: 6.7 per 100,000 peopleMinnesota6.7New Jersey: 6.1 per 100,000 peopleNew Jersey6.1Rhode Island: 5.4 per 100,000 peopleRhode Island5.4Massachusetts: 5.1 per 100,000 peopleMassachusetts5.1New York: 4.8 per 100,000 peopleNew York4.8District of Columbia: 4.5 per 100,000 peopleDistrict of Columbia4.5
per 100,000 people. Source: Invokely calculation with data from NHTSA, BEA. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2018
per 100,000 people		Change on 2017
1Mississippi22.3-0.7 pts
2South Carolina20.6+0.7 pts
3Wyoming19.3-2 pts
4Alabama19.10 pts
5New Mexico18.6+0.6 pts
6Arkansas17.4-0.2 pts
7Montana17-0.6 pts
8Oklahoma16.7-0.1 pts
9Louisiana16.5+0.1 pts
10West Virginia16.2-0.4 pts
11Kentucky16.1-1.3 pts
12Tennessee15.3+0.1 pts
13Missouri15-0.2 pts
14South Dakota14.90 pts
15Florida14.8-0.1 pts
16Arizona14.5-0 pts
17Georgia14.3-0.5 pts
18North Carolina14+0.1 pts
19Kansas13.8-1.9 pts
20North Dakota13.6-1.5 pts
21Idaho13.2-0.9 pts
22Texas12.8-0.4 pts
23Indiana12.8-0.9 pts
24Oregon12+1.4 pts
25Nebraska11.80 pts
26Delaware11.4-0.9 pts
27Colorado11.1-0.4 pts
28Nevada10.9+0.4 pts
29Alaska10.8+0.2 pts
30New Hampshire10.8+3.3 pts
31Vermont10.6-0.2 pts
32Maine10.1-2.8 pts
33Iowa10.1-0.4 pts
34Wisconsin10.1-0.4 pts
35Michigan9.7-0.6 pts
36California9.6-0.2 pts
37Virginia9.6-0.3 pts
38Pennsylvania9.2+0.4 pts
39Ohio9.1-1 pts
40Maryland8.3-0.8 pts
41Utah8.2-0.6 pts
42Connecticut8.1+0.3 pts
43Illinois8-0.4 pts
44Hawaii8+0.7 pts
45Washington7.1-0.4 pts
46Minnesota6.7+0.4 pts
47New Jersey6.1-0.7 pts
48Rhode Island5.4-2.3 pts
49Massachusetts5.1+0.1 pts
50New York4.8-0.2 pts
51District of Columbia4.5-0 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Traffic fatalities (NHTSA FARS) per 100,000 residents in the same year and place.

Deaths are counted where the crash happened and divided by the resident population, so counties with busy highways and few residents can show very high rates. Differs from the WHO road traffic death rate (road_traffic_death_rate).

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

Invokely calculated this figure from the publishers' data, so Invokely is the author and the publishers of the inputs are named.

APA 7

Invokely. (n.d.). NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents (US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018) [Data set]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k

MLA 9

NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Invokely. n.d. NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018. Dataset. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k.

Harvard

Invokely (no date) NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents, US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018 [Dataset]. Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Available at: https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{invokely_us_states_by_traffic_2018,
  author = {{Invokely}},
  title = {{NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018}},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA. Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/us-states?period=2018. Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology\#traffic\_fatality\_rate\_per\_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Invokely
TI  - NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents: US states by traffic fatality rate, 2018
PB  - Invokely
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/us-states?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Calculated from data by NHTSA and BEA.
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/traffic-fatality-rate/us-states?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Invokely calculation from NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. https://invokely.ai/docs/methodology#traffic_fatality_rate_per_100k. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest traffic fatality rate?

Mississippi, with 22.3 per 100,000 people in 2018, according to NHTSA and BEA.

Which state has the lowest traffic fatality rate?

District of Columbia, with 4.5 per 100,000 people in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Invokely, NHTSA FARS traffic fatalities divided by BEA mid-year population (SAINC1 and CAINC1), per 100,000 residents. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Traffic fatality rate: other rankings

US states: more rankings