States

Traffic deaths by state

In 2023, Texas had the most traffic deaths (4,294), followed by California (4,169) and Florida (3,375). Adjusted for population, Mississippi had the highest death rate, 24.9 per 100,000 people, and Massachusetts the lowest, 4.8. The national rate was 12.2.

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.

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Most deaths
Texas
4,294 deaths
Highest rate
Mississippi
24.9 per 100,000
Lowest rate
Massachusetts
4.8 per 100,000
States
51
50 states and DC, 2023

Rankings

All states, 2023

State
Texas 4,294 14.0 — 13.9 -2.6%
California 4,169 10.6 — 10.6 -8.2%
Florida 3,375 14.7 — 15.6 -4.9%
Georgia 1,610 14.6 — 15.5 -10.4%
North Carolina 1,577 14.5 — 14.9 -3.3%
Tennessee 1,323 18.5 — 18.1 +0.8%
Arizona 1,308 17.6 — 16.0 -0.9%
Ohio 1,242 10.5 — 10.6 -2.5%
Illinois 1,241 9.8 — 9.5 -2.1%
Pennsylvania 1,211 9.3 — 9.0 +2.7%
New York 1,117 5.6 — 5.5 -5.5%
Michigan 1,096 10.9 — 10.8 -2.5%
South Carolina 1,047 19.4 — 20.7 -4.3%
Missouri 991 16.0 — 16.0 -6.2%
Alabama 974 19.0 — 19.1 -1.4%
Virginia 914 10.5 — 10.6 -9.1%
Indiana 904 13.1 — 13.3 -7.4%
Kentucky 814 17.9 — 17.2 +9.4%
Louisiana 811 17.6 — 18.3 -10.5%
Washington 809 10.3 — 8.6 +8.9%
Mississippi 733 24.9 — 24.3 +4.3%
Colorado 720 12.2 — 11.7 -5.8%
Oklahoma 711 17.5 — 17.4 +0.1%
Maryland 621 10.0 — 9.3 +9.7%
New Jersey 605 6.4 — 6.8 -12.2%
Arkansas 596 19.4 — 20.3 -6.4%
Oregon 587 13.8 — 13.1 -2.5%
Wisconsin 586 9.9 — 10.2 -3.0%
New Mexico 440 20.8 — 20.9 -5.6%
Nevada 406 12.6 — 11.7 -2.6%
Minnesota 402 7.0 — 7.3 -9.5%
Kansas 387 13.1 — 14.0 -5.6%
Iowa 379 11.8 — 11.0 +12.8%
Massachusetts 342 4.8 — 5.3 -21.4%
Connecticut 308 8.5 — 8.5 -15.8%
Utah 280 8.1 — 8.7 -12.2%
Idaho 275 14.0 — 12.7 +27.9%
West Virginia 260 14.7 — 15.0 -2.3%
Nebraska 227 11.4 — 11.9 -7.0%
Montana 208 18.4 — 19.2 -3.3%
Wyoming 144 24.6 — 22.8 +7.5%
South Dakota 140 15.3 — 14.9 +2.2%
Delaware 135 13.0 — 13.5 -16.7%
Maine 135 9.6 — 11.5 -25.8%
New Hampshire 127 9.1 — 8.6 -13.0%
North Dakota 106 13.5 — 13.0 +8.2%
Hawaii 93 6.5 — 6.9 -19.8%
Rhode Island 71 6.4 — 5.7 +36.5%
Vermont 69 10.7 — 10.2 -9.2%
Alaska 61 8.3 — 9.4 -25.6%
District of Columbia 44 6.4 — 5.2 +37.5%

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

Highest traffic death rates by state, 2023
Category Deaths per 100,000
Mississippi 24.9
Wyoming 24.6
New Mexico 20.8
South Carolina 19.4
Arkansas 19.4
Alabama 19.0
Tennessee 18.5
Montana 18.4
Kentucky 17.9
Louisiana 17.6
Arizona 17.6
Oklahoma 17.5
Missouri 16.0
South Dakota 15.3
Florida 14.7
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Most traffic deaths by state, 2023
Category Deaths
Texas 4,294
California 4,169
Florida 3,375
Georgia 1,610
North Carolina 1,577
Tennessee 1,323
Arizona 1,308
Ohio 1,242
Illinois 1,241
Pennsylvania 1,211
New York 1,117
Michigan 1,096
South Carolina 1,047
Missouri 991
Alabama 974
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By topic

States by type of death

Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and Census Bureau population estimates. How rates are calculated