States
Traffic deaths by state
In 2021, California had the most traffic deaths (4,513), followed by Texas (4,500) and Florida (3,741). Adjusted for population, Mississippi had the highest death rate, 26.0 per 100,000 people, and Rhode Island the lowest, 5.7. The national rate was 13.0.
Death rates here are per resident. They do not account for how far people drive, so largely rural states with long trips tend to rank higher.
- Most deaths
- California
- 4,513 deaths
- Highest rate
- Mississippi
- 26.0 per 100,000
- Lowest rate
- Rhode Island
- 5.7 per 100,000
- States
- 51
- 50 states and DC, 2021
Rankings
All states, 2021
| State | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 4,513 | 11.5 | — | 10.1 | +13.4% |
| Texas | 4,500 | 15.2 | — | 13.4 | +16.1% |
| Florida | 3,741 | 17.1 | — | 15.4 | +12.4% |
| Georgia | 1,809 | 16.8 | — | 15.1 | +9.1% |
| North Carolina | 1,693 | 16.0 | — | 14.4 | +10.1% |
| Ohio | 1,354 | 11.5 | — | 10.2 | +10.1% |
| Illinois | 1,334 | 10.5 | — | 8.9 | +11.8% |
| Tennessee | 1,327 | 19.0 | — | 16.8 | +9.0% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,230 | 9.4 | — | 8.9 | +8.9% |
| South Carolina | 1,198 | 23.1 | — | 20.7 | +12.4% |
| Arizona | 1,192 | 16.4 | — | 14.6 | +13.2% |
| New York | 1,156 | 5.8 | — | 5.2 | +10.6% |
| Michigan | 1,137 | 11.3 | — | 10.4 | +4.7% |
| Missouri | 1,016 | 16.5 | — | 15.4 | +2.9% |
| Alabama | 983 | 19.5 | — | 19.2 | +5.2% |
| Virginia | 973 | 11.2 | — | 10.1 | +14.5% |
| Louisiana | 971 | 21.0 | — | 17.5 | +17.3% |
| Indiana | 932 | 13.7 | — | 13.1 | +3.9% |
| Kentucky | 806 | 17.9 | — | 17.1 | +3.3% |
| Mississippi | 766 | 26.0 | — | 23.6 | +2.4% |
| Oklahoma | 762 | 19.1 | — | 17.0 | +16.7% |
| Arkansas | 692 | 22.9 | — | 19.2 | +6.3% |
| New Jersey | 692 | 7.5 | — | 6.7 | +18.1% |
| Colorado | 691 | 11.9 | — | 11.1 | +11.1% |
| Washington | 674 | 8.7 | — | 7.6 | +17.4% |
| Wisconsin | 620 | 10.5 | — | 10.3 | +1.3% |
| Oregon | 599 | 14.1 | — | 12.1 | +18.1% |
| Maryland | 563 | 9.1 | — | 9.0 | -1.7% |
| Minnesota | 488 | 8.5 | — | 7.0 | +23.9% |
| New Mexico | 483 | 22.8 | — | 19.8 | +21.4% |
| Kansas | 423 | 14.4 | — | 14.5 | -0.7% |
| Massachusetts | 413 | 5.9 | — | 5.2 | +20.4% |
| Nevada | 385 | 12.2 | — | 10.8 | +15.6% |
| Iowa | 356 | 11.1 | — | 10.6 | +3.8% |
| Utah | 332 | 9.9 | — | 8.6 | +20.3% |
| Connecticut | 303 | 8.4 | — | 8.0 | +1.3% |
| West Virginia | 282 | 15.8 | — | 15.6 | +5.6% |
| Idaho | 273 | 14.3 | — | 13.2 | +27.6% |
| Montana | 239 | 21.6 | — | 18.7 | +12.2% |
| Nebraska | 221 | 11.2 | — | 12.0 | -5.2% |
| Maine | 153 | 11.1 | — | 11.6 | -6.7% |
| South Dakota | 148 | 16.5 | — | 14.7 | +5.0% |
| Delaware | 136 | 13.5 | — | 12.5 | +17.2% |
| New Hampshire | 118 | 8.5 | — | 8.4 | +13.5% |
| Wyoming | 110 | 19.0 | — | 21.4 | -13.4% |
| North Dakota | 101 | 13.0 | — | 13.6 | +1.0% |
| Hawaii | 94 | 6.5 | — | 7.1 | +10.6% |
| Vermont | 74 | 11.4 | — | 10.1 | +19.4% |
| Alaska | 70 | 9.5 | — | 9.8 | +9.4% |
| Rhode Island | 63 | 5.7 | — | 6.1 | -6.0% |
| District of Columbia | 41 | 6.1 | — | 4.7 | +13.9% |
Rates use Census population estimates, available from 2000. The 5-year average divides all deaths in those years by all residents, which steadies small states that swing from year to year. Deaths per 100 million vehicle miles use Federal Highway Administration estimates of miles driven in each state, available from 1980; a state with a lot of through traffic can have a high rate per resident but a lower rate per mile. Download CSV
Charts
Highest rates and most deaths
| Category | Deaths per 100,000 |
|---|---|
| Mississippi | 26.0 |
| South Carolina | 23.1 |
| Arkansas | 22.9 |
| New Mexico | 22.8 |
| Montana | 21.6 |
| Louisiana | 21.0 |
| Alabama | 19.5 |
| Oklahoma | 19.1 |
| Tennessee | 19.1 |
| Wyoming | 19.0 |
| Kentucky | 17.9 |
| Florida | 17.1 |
| Georgia | 16.8 |
| South Dakota | 16.5 |
| Missouri | 16.5 |
Embed
| Category | Deaths |
|---|---|
| California | 4,513 |
| Texas | 4,500 |
| Florida | 3,741 |
| Georgia | 1,809 |
| North Carolina | 1,693 |
| Ohio | 1,354 |
| Illinois | 1,334 |
| Tennessee | 1,327 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,230 |
| South Carolina | 1,198 |
| Arizona | 1,192 |
| New York | 1,156 |
| Michigan | 1,137 |
| Missouri | 1,016 |
| Alabama | 983 |
Embed
By topic
States by type of death
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and Census Bureau population estimates. How rates are calculated