Fatal High-Speed Crash Rates in Every State, Ranked From Worst to Best
The number one driving rule many parents tell their kids is “Don’t speed.” Driving within the speed limit isn’t only a way to avoid a run-in with the police; data shows a clear correlation between vehicle speed and the risk of a fatal crash.
Lead Feet, Beware
Personal injury attorneys at Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers set out to determine the states with the most and least high-speed fatal car crashes, as well as the difference in fatality rates between cars traveling at 80+ miles per hour (MPH) and 100MPH+. They did so by analyzing data between 2017 and 2021 from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The following is where each state fell, starting with the states that have the greatest number of fatal speed-related crashes.
1: Montana
Montana has the highest number of high-speed fatal crashes in the United States. Of the 214 speed-related crashes recorded between 2017 and 2021, 30.37% of them occurred with vehicles traveling 80MPH+. 11.68% happened in vehicles traveling 100MPH+.
2: Alaska
Alaska’s percentage of vehicles in fatal crashes that were traveling 80MPH+ is over 8% less than Montana. Nevertheless, the Last Frontier’s 22.22% statistic is far from the national average of 7.31%. Vehicles traveling 100MPH+ had a crash fatality rate of 5.56%.
3: Illinois
Just over 1,300 speed-related fatal crashes occurred in Illinois between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 16.27% were traveling at 80MPH+, and 5.56% were traveling at 100MPH+.
4: Connecticut
Connecticut may have “only” had 333 fatal vehicle crashes due to speed, but 16.27% were from people traveling at 80MPH+ and 5.53% traveling at 100MPH+, landing it as the fourth-worst state in the nation for high-speed fatal car crashes.
5: Wyoming
Wyoming’s 0.91% of vehicles in fatal car crashes that were traveling 100MPH+ was among the lowest in the U.S. However, given that 14.11% of the 659 speed-related fatalities occurred at 80MPH+, it has the unwanted ranking of being fifth on this list.
6: Texas
During the years that Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers studied, 2,192 fatal car crashes happened in Texas with speed as the cause. Just shy of 14% of them occurred at 80MPH+, and 4.97% happened at 100MPH+.
7: Rhode Island
Tiny Rhode Island has a big issue with speeding car crash fatalities. The Ocean State had a 13.82% fatality rate for vehicles driving 80MPH+ and just over half that amount for those driving 100MPH+.
8: New Jersey
Three hundred-ninety-four fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in New Jersey from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 13.45% and 6.6% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
9: South Dakota
South Dakota had 605 speed-related fatalities. But given that 13.06% of them were from driving at 80MPH+ and 2.81% of them were from 100MPH+, The Mount Rushmore State ranks in ninth place.
10: Massachusetts
Massachusetts is the last state to make the unwanted cut of the states with the highest percentage of fatal high-speed crashes. Nine fatalities (2.89%) happened when a vehicle was traveling 100MPH+, and 12.22% occurred at 80MPH+.
11: Missouri
Missouri had 1,899 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 219 (11.53%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and 59 (3.11%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
12: New Mexico
At a quick glance, New Mexico looks in significantly better shape than Missouri, with 59 and 20 fatal speed-related crashes when driving at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively. That said, since there were only 544 total vehicles with speed-recorded crash fatalities, the percentages clock in just below Missouri.
13: Delaware
Four hundred-one fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in Delaware from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 10.72% and 2.99% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
14: Alabama
Alabama had more fatal speed-recorded vehicle crashes than any state up to this point (4,607). Of that number, 10.38% of the vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 2.67% at 100MPH+.
15: Nevada
Nevada is the first state to drop into the single digits for the number of speeding vehicles that resulted in fatalities. A total of 9.87% of the cars were driving 80MPH+, and 1.62% were traveling at 100MPH+.
16: Utah
Utah had 1,310 speed-related car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 119 (9.08%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and 26 (1.98%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
17: North Carolina
North Carolinians appear to have lead feet, for they had the third-highest number of speed-related fatal car crashes in the country, at 10,443 between the years 2017 and 2021. Of those crashes, 9.08% occurred at 80MPH+, and 2.72% happened at 100MPH+.
18: Colorado
Over four thousand fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in Colorado from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 8.88% and 1.89% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
19: Minnesota
The North Star State had 1,237 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 8.16% occurred at 80MPH+, and 2.1% were at 100MPH+.
20: Wisconsin
Wisconsin moves closer to the national average for the number of fatal vehicle crashes happening at 80MPH+ (7.71% compared to the nation’s 7.31%). Its 2.17% fatality rate for cars traveling at 100MPH+ is even closer, with 2.01% being the national average.
21: New York
New York had 807 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 62 (7.68%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and 24 (2.97%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
22: Louisiana
Louisiana has speed-related fatal car crash rates that nearly mimic New York (7.67% for 80MPH+, and 2.47% for 100MPH+). The difference? There were a total of 3,961 fatal car crashes in the Pelican State, while New York only had 807 fatal crashes during the same time period.
23: Virginia
Virginia’s total fatal car crashes with speed recorded is even higher than Louisiana, at 5,253 crashes. But of those vehicles that were traveling at ultra-high speeds, 7.65% were moving at 80MPH+, and 2.08% were traveling at 100MPH+.
24: California
13,732 fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in California from 2017 to 2021. That’s the second-highest number in the nation. Of them, 7.29% and 1.92% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
25: South Carolina
The Palmetto State had 7,145 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 6.89% were at 80MPH+, and 1.88% at 100MPH+.
26: Kansas
Kansas lands in the middle of this list, with 243 total fatal car crashes from 2017 to 2021. That equates to numbers below the national average, with 6.25% of the fatalities occurring in vehicles moving at 80MPH+ and 1.23% happening at 100MPH+.
27: New Hampshire
New Hampshire is the first of a handful of states that have a 0% fatality rate for cars traveling at 100MPH+. Unfortunately, the Granite State still had a 6.25% fatality rate among high-speed vehicle crashes traveling at 80MPH+.
28: Maryland
The Free State had 243 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 15 (6.17%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and three (1.23%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
29: Georgia
Georgians have a higher-than-average fatality rate in cars traveling 100MPH+, at 2.82%. Furthermore, 5.9% of fatal speed-related car crashes happened in vehicles traveling at 80MPH or more.
30: North Dakota
One hundred seventy-six fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in North Dakota from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 5.68% and 0.57% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
31: Oklahoma
The Sooner State had 254 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 5.51% happened at 80MPH+, and 1.18% at 100MPH+.
32: Pennsylvania
Many Pennsylvanians are likely used to hearing about fatal high-speed vehicle crashes on the news, for 4,991 occurred from 2017 to 2021. Of the highest speed fatalities, 5.43% happened at 80MPH+, and 1.32% happened at 100MPH+.
33: Idaho
From a quantity standpoint, Idaho has among the lowest fatal speed-related car accidents in the nation, at 74. Zero of those crashes happened in a vehicle traveling 100MPH+. Four of them happened in a vehicle moving between 80MPH and 99MPH.
34: Kentucky
Kentucky had 1,302 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, 68 (5.22%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and 16 (1.23%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
35: Arizona
The Grand Canyon State ranks better than most states for its percentage of high-speed car crash fatalities, but even one life lost is too much. Arizona experienced 4,259 speed-induced fatal car crashes between 2017 and 2021, 5.19% happening at 80MPH+, and 1.24% happening at 100MPH+.
36: Hawaii
The Aloha State had 62 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 3% occurred at 80MPH+, and 0% were at 100MPH+.
37: Ohio
One hundred eighty fatal crashes occurred in Ohio between 2017 and 2021, equating to 4.76% of the state’s total high-speed crash fatalities at 80MPH+. Meanwhile, 1.43% of Ohio’s fatal crashes happened at 100MPH+.
38: Tennessee
Between 2017 and 2021, 344 high-speed fatal vehicle crashes occurred in Tennessee. Just over 2% of those crashes happened at 100MPH+, and 4.65% at 80MPH+.
39: Florida
Florida ranks as one of the best states for low rates of speed-related car fatalities. But, there’s a big “but”: It has the highest number of vehicles in fatal crashes with speed recorded in the entire country, at 21,948. The Sunshine State has an 80MPH+ vehicle crash fatality rate of 4.65% (1,020 vehicles) and a 100MPH+ fatality rate of 1.23%.
40: Vermont
Two hundred nineteen fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in Vermont from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 4.57% and 1.37% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
41: Michigan
Michigan is the first state to enter the top ten for the lowest rate of fatal high-speed crashes. Twenty-two (4.54%) 80MPH+ fatal vehicle crashes happened between 2017 and 2021, and nine happened at 100MPH+.
42: Mississippi
The Magnolia State only had one fatal vehicle crash that occurred at 100MPH+ during the time period that Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers studied. Of the 750 total high-speed fatalities, 33 (4.4%) happened at 80MPH+.
43: Iowa
Iowa had 79 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, three (3.8%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and two (2.53%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
44: Indiana
The Hoosier State had 352 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 3.69% were at 80MPH+, and 1.42% were at 100MPH+.
45: Oregon
Oregon stands out from the other states in the bottom ten, with a four-digit number of vehicles in fatal speed-related crashes (1,139). Thirty-three (2.9%) of those vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+, and 10 at 100MPH+ (0.88%).
46: Maine
Maine has the lowest total number of fatal car crashes on this list, with 37 crashes between 2017 and 2021. It also stands out for having one fatal crash each (2.7%) in the 80MPH+ and 100MPH+ categories.
47: Nebraska
Eighty-seven fatal crashes happened with speed as the factor in Nebraska from 2017 to 2021. Of them, 2.3% and 0% happened when vehicles were traveling at 80MPH+ and 100MPH+, respectively.
48: Arkansas
Arkansas had 168 speed-related fatal car crash fatalities recorded between 2017 and 2021. Of them, three (1.79%) happened when a vehicle was traveling at 80MPH+, and one (0.6%) happened at a speed of 100MPH+.
49: West Virginia
The Mountain State had 87 fatal car crashes that happened at high speeds. Of those crashes, 1.15% happened at 80MPH+, 0% occurred at 100MPH+.
50: Washington
Washington ranks as the best state in the nation for the lowest rate of high-speed car fatalities. Between 2017 and 2021, the Evergreen State experienced two crash fatalities (1.12%) for vehicles driving at 80MPH+, and one crash fatality (0.56%) for vehicles driving at 100MPH+.
Slow It Down
According to the Department of Transportation, crash rates increase with speed. Part of the reason for this is that there’s less time to act upon a situation that could cause a crash, and the braking distance is longer. Furthermore, the faster a car is driving, the higher the chance the drivers and passengers will experience more serious injuries in the event of a crash.
Pushing the Limits
Technically, drivers who go over the speed limit by even one mile per hour are breaking the law. However, we’re humans, and maintaining the perfect amount of pressure on the pedal to stay at the exact speed limit all the time is nearly impossible. Many Americans have the notion that as long as they’re not driving five miles per hour over the speed limit, they likely won’t get pulled over. While many variables can impact this unwritten rule, Florida Car Laws confirms that this is generally true for Florida.
Then again, given Florida’s high number of fatal high-speed vehicle crashes, you may want to take this information with a grain of salt.
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