- Mississippi is the worst state for U.S. drivers, scoring a 26/100 for driver safety.
- New Mexico and Arkansas, in the second and third spot, score 29.1 and 33.4 out of 100 for driver’s safety, respectively.
- New Jersey scores 85.1 out of 100 for driver’s safety, making it the safest state with optimum driving conditions.
A new study reveals that Mississippi is the worst state for driving in the U.S.
The research by Nevada-based personal injury lawyers H&P Law analyzed data on vehicle crash mortality rate, road infrastructure quality, and vehicle theft rates across all U.S. states. The study scored each state based on high fatality rates, poor infrastructure, and vehicle theft count to identify states with unfavorable driving environments.
Mississippi is the worst state for U.S. drivers, scoring just 26 out of 100 for driver safety. The Magnolia State ranks 50th in terms of vehicle crash safety, 46th in terms of road infrastructure and 11th in terms of safety against motor vehicle theft.
In the second position, New Mexico earns a 29.1 out of 100 for driver safety. The Land of Enchantment ranks 48th in vehicle crash safety, 45th in road infrastructure, and 46th in motor vehicle theft prevention.
Arkansas stands third, scoring a mere 33.4 out of 100 for driver’s safety. The Natural State occupies the 47th position in vehicle crash safety, ranks 44th for road infrastructure quality, and 9th place in safeguarding against motor vehicle theft.
Looking at the study, a spokesperson at H&P Law commented,
“The study shows that states like Mississippi, New Mexico, and Arkansas have extremely poor driving conditions.
“According to the data, these states face a troubling pattern of infrastructural neglect. While the systemic transportation challenge is moderately similar, a few of the states have relatively upheld the vehicular theft prevention standard.
“Investing in road infrastructure upgrades, including the repair and maintenance of both rural and urban roads, can significantly reduce accidents. In addition, implementing strong vehicle theft prevention strategies—like advanced security measures and public awareness campaigns—can lower theft-related incidents.”
Arizona takes the fourth spot with a score of just 33.5 out of 100. The Grand Canyon State lands in the 41st position for vehicle crash safety, struggles at 41st position in road infrastructure quality, and ranks 49th for protection against motor vehicle theft.
Louisiana occupies the fifth spot earning a meager 36.9 out of 100. Positioned 45th in vehicle crash safety, the Pelican State ranks 42nd in terms of road infrastructure and 39th for motor vehicle theft prevention.
California (6th) scores a total of 41.1 out of 100 for driver safety, followed by Missouri (7th) at 42.5 out of 100 for driver safety, South Carolina (8th) at 43.3 out of 100 for driver safety, Texas (9th) at 51.5 out of 100 for driver safety, and Hawaii (10th) at 51.6 out of 100 for driver safety.
Table of Extended Data:
| Top 10 Worst States for the U.S. Drivers | |||||
| States | Vehicle crash mortality Score out of 40 | Road Infrastructure Score out of 40 | Motor Vehicle theft score out of 20 | Total Driver Safety Score out of 100 | Rank |
| Mississippi | 0.0 | 6.3 | 19.7 | 26.0 | 1 |
| New Mexico | 3.8 | 7.0 | 18.3 | 29.1 | 2 |
| Arkansas | 5.9 | 7.7 | 19.8 | 33.4 | 3 |
| Arizona | 13.0 | 9.8 | 10.7 | 33.5 | 4 |
| Louisiana | 8.8 | 9.1 | 19.0 | 36.9 | 5 |
| California | 26.4 | 14.7 | 0.0 | 41.1 | 6 |
| Missouri | 14.2 | 9.8 | 18.4 | 42.5 | 7 |
| South Carolina | 6.7 | 17.5 | 19.1 | 43.3 | 8 |
| Texas | 19.3 | 13.3 | 18.9 | 51.5 | 9 |
| Hawaii | 33.1 | 0.0 | 18.5 | 51.6 | 10 |
The study was conducted by H&P Law, an experienced personal injury law firm dedicated to protecting clients’ rights and maximizing claim value.
Methodology
The research analyzed the snow crash data between 2018 and 2022, from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The average annual crashes were calculated to identify the top 10 states where driving during snow can be fatal.
Data Sources
- Vehicle crash mortality rate – https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/state-by-state#deaths-by-road-user (per 100,000)
- Road Infrastructure report card – https://infrastructurereportcard.org/state-item/alaska/ (% of roads in poor or fair condition)
- Motor Vehicle theft – https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/home (per 100,000)
- Research Dataset → https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1piXnNSYOSe1uvVwLgR46VHFu11jdyoFwcobuUm_ViyQ/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Study by → www.courtroomproven.com