Automotive Fleet
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Which States Have the Most Dangerous Roads?

A new analysis from 1-800-Injured ranks states for most dangerous roads according to various fatality data and assesses the best and worst quality of roads across the nation.

June 1, 2022
Which States Have the Most Dangerous Roads?

In the U.S., nearly 43,000 people died in crashes in 2021. A recent analysis evaluates states for roadway danger.

Photo: PxHere.com

3 min to read


Mississippi ranks as the state with the most deadly roads, having scored the highest overall Road Danger Rating of 9.93 in a recent analysis from 1-800-Injured.

To determine how dangerous a state’s roads are, 1-800-Injured looked at a number of factors: fatality rates per 100,000 population, per 100,000 vehicle miles traveled, per number of licensed drivers, as well as road quality. Then they crunched the numbers and combined them into a single Road Danger Rating.

Ad Loading...

Mississippi, for example, has the highest road fatality rate compared to its population, with 25.39 deaths per 100,000 people. The state also sees 18.96 road deaths for every billion vehicle miles traveled — which is the second highest of all states.

 Rank 

Size

Motor Vehicle Fatalities

Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT) (Millions)

Fatality Rate per Billion VMT

1

South Carolina

1,064

53,972

19.71

2

Mississippi

752

39,665

18.96

3

Arkansas

638

33,919

18.81

4

Montana

213

12,104

17.60

5

Louisiana

828

48,374

17.12

6

Kentucky

780

46,536

16.76

7

New Mexico

398

23,756

16.75

8

West Virginia

267

16,054

16.63

9

Arizona

1,054

65,758

16.03

10

Florida

3,331

208,076

16.01


Other states that ranked among the top five for road danger include Arkansas and South Carolina, both with an overall road danger rating of 9.59, followed by Montana (9.12) and New Mexico (8.98).

In joint second place are Arkansas and South Carolina. Arkansas had the higher fatality rate compared to population at 21.19 versus South Carolina’s rate of 20.79. But South Carolina had an incredibly high rate of deaths compared to vehicle miles traveled — specifically, 19.71 as compared to Arkansas’ 18.81.

The report also assesses road quality among all states. Rhode Island is the state with the worst quality road surfaces in the country, receiving a score of just 0.61. Rhode Island has the highest percentage of its roads rated “poor” for roughness, while also having one of the highest proportions of roads with heavy cracking.

Louisiana has the second-worst quality roads in the nation. Louisiana’s roads suffer from particularly high levels of rutting, with 14.35% of roads being affected.

Ad Loading...

New York earns third place for worst road quality. The Empire State’s roads suffer from a high rate of cracking and a moderately high rate of rutting, while also having one of the largest proportions of its roads rated “poor” for roughness.

As for places with the best quality roads, Nevada takes the top spot on the 1-800-Injured list with an overall Road Quality score of 8.98. With the second-lowest percentage of roads rated “poor” for roughness, Nevada also had very low levels of heavy cracking and rutting on the state’s road system.

South Dakota and North Dakota take second and third place, respectively, for best quality roads. South Dakota earned a road quality score of 8.78. The state did very well for having hardly any road surfaces with high levels of cracking or rutting. North Dakota’s road quality score is 8.44. This is due in part to the state having the lowest levels of heavy road cracking in the entire country. 

More Safety

Chris Brown sits across from safety experft at Lifesaver mobile in an interview about distracted driving and phone use tech.
Safetyby Chris BrownMay 1, 2026

Reducing Risk by Eliminating Phone Use Behind the Wheel

Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.

Read More →
Safetyby Jeanny RoaApril 15, 2026

Distracted Driving in the Age of Smart Tech – Part 2

As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.

Read More →
Safetyby Jeanny RoaApril 11, 2026

 Data Rights, Risks, and Responsibilities After a Crash

What fleets capture to improve safety can also expose them in litigation, forcing leaders to rethink how data is managed, stored, and shared.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Driver holding a phone while steering, illustrating distracted driving and the importance of mental awareness and attention on the road for fleet safety.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyApril 10, 2026

From Distraction to Detection: Strengthening Awareness in Fleet Drivers

Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.

Read More →
Safetyby StaffApril 8, 2026

Lytx 2026 Road Safety Report

While serious crashes are declining, a rise in minor incidents and ongoing risk hotspots underscore the need for continued fleet safety investment.

Read More →
Driver’s hands on steering wheel in a sunlit vehicle, representing real-world driver behavior and the shift from data monitoring to hands-on training in fleet safety programs.
Safetyby Judie NuskeyApril 7, 2026

Behind-the-Wheel vs. Classroom Training: What Actually Changes Driver Behavior?

Fleets have more driver data than ever, so why isn't behavior changing? Training requires more than reports and coaching — it requires real-world practice.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A person in a car on their phone behind the steering wheel.
Safetyby Jeanny RoaApril 1, 2026

Distracted Driving in the Age of Smart Tech – Part 1

A two-part conversation with Stefan Heck on how AI is transforming the fight against distracted driving. As fleets adopt smarter tools, the focus shifts from reacting to preventing risk. In Part 1, we look at where AI is making an impact for fleets today.

Read More →
Pedestrians crossing a busy street, highlighting the importance of driver awareness and caution to prevent pedestrian accidents.
Safetyby StaffMarch 30, 2026

Pedestrian Safety Starts With the Driver

More people on foot means more risk for drivers. These pedestrian safety tips can help prevent serious injuries and keep everyone safer on the road.

Read More →
SponsoredMarch 30, 2026

Safety by Design: Power and Protection in the Freightliner 114SD Plus

Safer crews. Fewer incidents. Better uptime. Learn how driver-assist technology is changing the way vocational fleets operate.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Safetyby StaffMarch 26, 2026

Pedestrian Deaths Drop in First Half of 2025, Marking Largest Decline in Years

An 11% drop in pedestrian fatalities in early 2025 signals progress in U.S. road safety, but elevated death rates and ongoing risks underscore the need for continued action from fleets and policymakers.

Read More →