Driving is dangerous—perhaps even the most dangerous thing most Americans do in their everyday lives. Behind the wheel of a hunk of metal and plastic weighing an average of more than 2 tons, drivers aren't just risking their own lives and those of their passengers, but of everyone else on the road—or near it—as well.
The usual suspects of speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence are continuing to put Americans at risk on highways and roads. About 39,000 people died in car accidents in the U.S. in 2020—an average of over 100 people per day. That's more fatalities on U.S. roads than in any year since 2007, reversing what had been a downward trend in driving-related deaths. The alarming death toll exists despite manufacturers continuing to add increasingly advanced safety features to cars, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Stacker used the Federal Highway Administration's 2020 Highway Statistics Report to rank states by fatalities per billion miles traveled, and to compare each to national averages.
Read on to discover the most dangerous states to drive in.
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- Total fatalities: 6.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (7.0 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 6.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.6 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 10.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (7.8 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 7.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 5.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.6 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 10.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (7.3 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 8.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 6.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.6 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 11.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (6.2 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 8.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.6 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 12.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.5 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 9.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.2 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 7.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.1 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 12.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.5 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 9.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 6.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (12.0 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 9.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.6 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.7 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.6 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 9.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.5 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.5 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 10.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.2 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.3 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 13.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.1 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 10.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.0 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 7.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.3 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 11.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (6.7 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 10.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.8 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 10.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.7 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 13.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.1 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 11.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.2 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.8 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 9.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (8.9 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 11.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.2 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 7.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 18.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 11.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.0 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 13.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.8 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 11.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.0 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 12.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.2 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 11.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 7.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.1 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 18.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 11.9 per billion miles traveled (1.5 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.9 per billion miles traveled (1.1 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: Not applicable
- Total fatalities: 11.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.4 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.0 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.4 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 7.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.8 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 12.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.3 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.1 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 6.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 16.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.8 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.3 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.6 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.8 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 8.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.7 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 14.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.8 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.8 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 17.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 12.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.6 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.5 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.1 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 21.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.1 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 12.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.2 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 16.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.1 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 13.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 less than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 14.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.0 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 13.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.2 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 12.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.0 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 13.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 18.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 13.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.2 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 23.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.1 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 14.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.0 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.9 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 22.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.2 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 14.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.1 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 10.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 22.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.0 more than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 14.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.1 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.3 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 15.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.2 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 14.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 12.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.7 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 21.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.8 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 15.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.9 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.8 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 19.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.0 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 15.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.2 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 12.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.6 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 18.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.5 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 15.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.4 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.2 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.4 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 23.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.9 more than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 15.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.6 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 13.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 20.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.4 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 16.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.6 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 13.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.3 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 21.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.9 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 16.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.7 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 12.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.5 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 20.9 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.8 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 16.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.3 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 11.4 deaths per billion miles traveled (0.7 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 20.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.5 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 16.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.4 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 19.3 deaths per billion miles traveled (8.5 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 14.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.3 less than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 16.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.4 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 13.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.2 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 19.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.7 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 17.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.7 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 15.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.3 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 20.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (2.0 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 17.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.2 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 6.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.8 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 22.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.4 more than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 18.8 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.4 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 6.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.2 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 12.6 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.6 less than the national average)
- Total fatalities: 19.0 deaths per billion miles traveled (5.6 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 14.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (3.7 more than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 22.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (4.0 more than the national average)
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- Total fatalities: 19.7 deaths per billion miles traveled (6.3 more than the national average)
- Urban fatalities: 9.5 deaths per billion miles traveled (1.2 less than the national average)
- Rural fatalities: 32.1 deaths per billion miles traveled (13.9 more than the national average)
