What Are America’s Safest And Most Dangerous States For Driving In 2021?

Fortunately, car accident fatalities across the United States have seen a downward trend in recent years. However, there are still safe and dangerous states for driving as crashes are more prevalent in some states than others.

Statistics show that car accidents across the country are killing fewer adults and children. In 2018, traffic fatalities fell by nearly 1,000 people compared to the previous year.

If you have been involved in a car accident in New Hampshire, speak with our knowledgeable attorneys at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC to seek compensation for your damages and losses.

What Are America’s Safest States for Driving?

Coverage ranked states by the number of car accident deaths per 100 million travel miles in 2018, the most recent data available. The safest states for driving are:

1. Massachusetts (0.54 fatalities per 100 million miles)
2. Minnesota (0.63 fatalities)
3. New Jersey (0.73 fatalities)
4. Rhode Island (0.74 fatalities)
5. New York (0.76 fatalities)
6. Utah (0.81 fatalities)
7. Maryland (0.84 fatalities)
8. Washington (0.88 fatalities)
9. Wisconsin (0.89 fatalities)
10. Connecticut (0.93 fatalities)

New Hampshire sits in the middle of the ranking. With 1.07 fatalities per 100 million miles, the state was ranked 29th.

What Are America’s Most Dangerous States for Driving?

The most dangerous states for driving in America are:

1. South Carolina (1.83 fatalities)
2. Mississippi (1.63 fatalities)
3. Louisiana (1.53 fatalities)
4. Arizona (1.53 fatalities)
5. West Virginia (1.51 fatalities)
6. Kentucky (1.46 fatalities)
7. Alaska (1.46 fatalities)
8. Oklahoma (1.44 fatalities)
9. New Mexico (1.43 fatalities)
10. Montana (1.43 fatalities)

Traffic Fatalities in New Hampshire

There were 147 fatalities in New Hampshire in 2018. Of those, a staggering over 48% of all fatalities were related to speeding, the second-highest number in the U.S. Nearly a third (32.7%) of all fatal crashes in New Hampshire involved an impaired motorist.

By vehicle type, traffic deaths were broken down into four categories:

1. 40.6% of crashes involved passenger cars
2. 33.1% of fatalities involved light trucks
3. 5.3% of accidents involved large trucks
4. 21.1% of fatal collisions involved motorcycles

One of the contributing factors to the high accident rate in New Hampshire is the lack of mandatory seat belt use law. While all other states require drivers and front-seat passengers to buckle up, New Hampshire does not make seat belt use mandatory for adult vehicle occupants.

As a result, New Hampshire has the lowest seat belt usage rate in the country. Less than 68% of adults wear safety belts. In 2019, car accident fatalities in New Hampshire decreased by more than 30%, according to an NHPR report.

As of December 31, 2019, New Hampshire saw 99 traffic fatalities in 88 fatal crashes. By comparison, during the same period in 2018, there were 143 deaths in 130 fatal accidents on New Hampshire roads.

The top three contributing factors to fatal crashes in New Hampshire continue to be: drunk driving, distracted driving, and speeding. If you or your loved one has been involved in a traffic accident, contact our Manchester car accident attorneys at the Law Office of Manning Zimmerman & Oliveira PLLC.

Schedule a case review by calling 800-984-3151.

Resource:

nhpr.org/nh-news/2020-01-02/n-h-traffic-deaths-down-by-more-than-30-in-2019