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Mississippi Has the Most Springtime Traffic Fatalities in the Nation

A new analysis from Teletrac Navman explores places and times in spring that are linked to particularly high fatality rates. The deadliest day for fatal collisions was determined to be May 20.

May 20, 2022
Mississippi Has the Most Springtime Traffic Fatalities in the Nation

Spring brings rain and wet roads pose risks to drivers. A new report explores places and times in spring linked to high traffic fatality rates.

2 min to read


Some 8,414 deadly roadway collisions in the United States occur in the spring, according to a new report from Teletrac Navman.

While summer ranks as the number one season for fatal collisions, spring is a close second for a variety of reasons. For starters, spring rains mean wet roads, which pose risks to drivers. There is also increased glare and limited visibility due to heavy precipitation. And typically, there are more people on the roads in spring including vulnerable road users like motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

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The new report explores places and times in spring that are linked to particularly high fatality rates. For example, May 20 was statistically determined to be the deadliest day on the road during the spring season.

As for dangerous driving places, Mississippi ranks as the state with the highest spring fatality rate for collisions — with 5.83 per 100,000 residents. Other states that ranked among the top five for deadly collisions in spring include Wyoming, which ranks second with a 5.68 fatality rate. That state is followed by Alabama (4.66), which came in third, South Carolina (4.57), and New Mexico (4.47)

Some states are safer than others for spring driving. The top three states with the lowest spring fatality rates are all based on the East Coast. Vermont boasts the lowest spring fatality rate — .08 — of all states. New York comes in second for a low spring fatality rate of 1.02, followed by Rhode Island (1.04).

As for cities, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, earns the number one spot for fatal collisions in the spring, with a rate of 7.77. Memphis comes in second (5.37). Other cities that rank among the top five for fatal crashes in springtime include St. Louis (5.19), Kansas City (4.93), and Jacksonville (4.83).

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