September 25, 2024
by Jackie Whetzel

Where are the worst drivers in America?

Driving in America can be dangerous. Reckless behaviors like distracted driving, speeding and driving under the influence cause a staggering number of traffic-related deaths each year, underscoring the critical need for vigilance on the road as well as comprehensive car insurance.
If you’re wondering what parts of the country have the most dangerous drivers, ConsumerAffairs has you covered. Our research team analyzed the most recently reported crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (2022) to rank the cities and states with the worst drivers using a “crash score.”

Cities with the worst drivers in 2024

To rank the cities with the worst drivers, ConsumerAffairs calculated a “crash score” for each by analyzing data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), including the number of fatalities related to crashes per 100,000 people, the number of fatal crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people, the number of fatalities involving positive blood alcohol content (BAC) readings per 100,000 people, the number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people and the number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people.

1. Memphis, Tennessee

Crash score: 77.3

For the second year in a row, Memphis has the worst drivers in the country. In the last recorded year (2022), the birthplace of rock and roll led the nation in crash fatalities (36.2 deaths per 100,000 people) and fatalities involving a driver with a positive BAC (13.5 per 100,000 people), according to the NHTSA.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 16.5
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 36.2
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 13.5
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 7.0
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 14.1

2. Victorville, California

Crash score: 64.0

Victorville drivers are among the worst in the country, in part due to the high number of traffic deaths involving alcohol. In 2022, this city, about 85 miles northeast of Los Angeles, had the second-highest number of fatalities involving a driver with a positive BAC (13.4 per 100,000 people). It also had the fifth-highest number of fatalities linked to speeding (11.2 per 100,000 people).

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 7.4
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 29.0
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 13.4
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 11.2
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 3.0

3. Macon, Georgia

Crash score: 63.4

You should exercise extra caution when driving in Macon — the city's drivers are the third worst in the country. In 2022, the city ranked second in traffic fatalities (32.7 per 100,000 people) and seventh in deaths linked to drivers with positive BACs (11.5 per 100,000 people). Macon isn’t the only place in Georgia with bad drivers, though. Atlanta and Augusta rank No. 33 and No. 41, respectively.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 9.6
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 32.7
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 11.5
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 7.0
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 2.6

4. San Bernardino, California

Crash score: 60.6

California is home to two of the five worst cities for drivers, including San Bernardino, which comes in fourth on our list. It’s not surprising that San Bernardino’s drivers got such a bad ranking. In 2022, the city had the highest rate of fatalities involving driving under the influence (7.7 per 100,000 people). It also ranked fourth in fatalities linked to speeding (11.3 per 100,000 people).
Several other California cities landed in the top 50, including Fontana at No. 31, Riverside at No. 40, Orange at No. 43 and Corona at No. 47.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 5.9
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 25.8
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 10.0
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 11.3
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 7.7

5. Jackson, Mississippi

Crash score: 56.1

The roadways in Jackson, Mississippi, can be hazardous due to drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors. In 2022, the city had the second-highest number of fatalities related to speeding (12.4 per 100,000 people) and ranked sixth in the nation in traffic-related fatalities (27.4 per 100,000 people).

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 4.6
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 27.4
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 9.1
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 12.4
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 2.6

Have driving conditions in America's cities improved over the past year?

In 2023, ConsumerAffairs conducted an in-depth analysis of the cities with the worst drivers and published the findings in a July report. In comparing last year’s results with the latest 2024 rankings, it’s apparent that driving safety has improved in some cities but declined in others.

States with the worst drivers in 2024

As with our list of cities with the worst drivers, we calculated a “crash score” for each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., by analyzing data from the NHTSA to rank the states with the worst drivers.

1. Montana

Crash score: 54.0

Montana residents should exercise extra caution on the road, because the state has the worst drivers in the country. In 2022, it had the second-highest number of crashes related to bad driving, with 12.8 per 100,000 people.
Several dangerous driving behaviors have posed threats in Montana. The state ranked fourth in fatalities linked to drivers with a positive BAC and fourth in deaths linked to speeding, at 6.3 per 100,000 people.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 12.8
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 19.5
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 7.6
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 6.3
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 7.8

2. New Mexico

Crash score: 53.9

New Mexico has the second-worst drivers in the U.S. The southwestern state had 22.1 traffic deaths per 100,000 people in 2022, third in the country.
New Mexico also had the second-highest number of deaths related to speeding, at 8.8 per 100,000 people, and the third-highest number of deaths involving positive BAC, at 8.5 per 100,000.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 11.1
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 22.1
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 8.5
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 8.8
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 3.5

3. South Carolina

Crash score: 53.7

Coming in third on our list, South Carolina drivers are among the worst in the country.
The Palmetto State had more fatalities involving positive BAC than any other state in the U.S. in 2022 (10.4 per 100,000 people). This is more than double the national figure of 4.8 per 100,000. South Carolina was also third in speeding-related fatalities (7.8 per 100,000 people).

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 9.2
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 21.3
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 10.4
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 7.8
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 5.0

4. Wyoming

Crash score: 52.8

Wyoming has many reckless drivers. The state leads the nation in speeding-related fatalities, with 10.4 per 100,000 people. That’s nearly three times the national average. It also has the second-highest number of traffic deaths involving positive BAC (8.5 per 100,000 people). Overall, Wyoming has the second-highest number of traffic fatalities in the nation, at 23.2 per 100,000 people.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 4.0
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 23.2
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 8.5
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 10.4
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 6.7

5. Arkansas

Crash score: 47.6

Rounding out our top five is Arkansas, which had the highest rate of crashes related to bad driving in the country in 2022, at 12.9 per 100,000 people. The state ranked fourth in total number of traffic fatalities, at 21.3 per 100,000 people.

Number of crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people: 12.9
Number of fatalities per 100,000 people: 21.3
Number of fatalities involving positive BAC per 100,000 people: 6.6
Number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people: 4.7
Number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people: 2.2

Tips for staying safe on the road

Driving can be dangerous regardless of your ZIP code. Fortunately, there are several things you can do behind the wheel to ensure a safer journey. Here are a few of the tips the U.S. Department of Transportation has shared to make your time on the road safer:

Conduct regular vehicle safety checks: To help prevent breakdowns before they occur, conduct regular maintenance checks, including tire rotations, oil checks, battery checks and tuneups. Having an extended auto warranty helps pay for fixes when your car breaks down from wear and tear.
Avoid distractions: Avoid anything that pulls your attention away from the road, including cellphone use, texting while driving, eating, drinking, talking to passengers and using in-vehicle technologies.
Buckle seat belts: Wearing a seat belt is one of the best defenses against injuries or death in a crash. Always remember to buckle up and ensure that all children in the vehicle are secured safely in the proper seat.
Don’t drink and drive: Every 45 minutes, a person in the U.S. dies in an alcohol-involved crash. Be responsible and make sure to have a designated driver if you plan to consume alcohol.

Crash score data by city and state

The table below shows crash scores and score components for American cities with a population of 100,000 or more. The data is the most recently available from the NHTSA and covers incidents from 2022.

Methodology

To determine cities and states with the worst drivers, the ConsumerAffairs Research Team analyzed the most recently reported crash data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). We looked at five crash factors, adding them together to create a “crash score.” These factors are:

The number of fatalities related to crashes per 100,000 people
The number of fatal crashes related to bad driving per 100,000 people
The number of fatalities involving positive BAC readings per 100,000 people
The number of fatalities involving driving under the influence per 100,000 people
The number of fatalities involving speeding per 100,000 people

Examples of “bad driving” included:

Aggressive Driving
Careless driving
Driving the wrong way on a one-way traffic way
Failure to yield the right of way
Following improperly
Improper or erratic lane-changing
Making an improper turn
Operating the vehicle in an erratic, reckless or negligent manner
Operator inexperience
Passing where prohibited

On a city level, we only included cities with populations of 100,000 or greater.
For questions about the data or if you'd like to set up an interview, please contact acurls@consumeraffairs.com.