• New Mexico is the worst state for car crashes involving distracted male and female drivers.
• Wyoming was named the most dangerous state for car crashes involving male drowsy drivers, while Montana ranked as the most treacherous for car crashes involving male and female drivers under the influence.
• Rhode Island is home to the highest percentage of male drivers involved in fatal crashes who were speeding at 38.7%.  

20 August 2024, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Steven Zimmerman – New Mexico is the most dangerous state in the country for distracted drivers, a new study has found.  

Driving around Las Cruces, New Mexico, one can readily see distracted drivers: talking on cell phones, eating lunch, fixing hair or putting on makeup. You see it all the time.

Living near the crossroads of S Valley and Main, and S Valley and University, there is no end of car crashes caused by distracted drivers.

The research, conducted by pre-settlement legal funding company High Rise Financial, analyzed National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data on drivers involved in fatal crashes in the five-year period from 2018 to 2022. It compared the occurrence of five different factors in the crashes: drowsy; distracted; speeding; under the influence; emotional (depressed, angry, disturbed, etc.). These occurrences were then analyzed to discover which states had the highest rate of crashes of each type for men and women. 

Distracted drivers 

The state with the highest percentage of male drivers involved in fatal crashes who were recorded as distracted is New Mexico. Around one in four men (26.4%) who were involved in fatal crashes in New Mexico were distracted. The same state also had the highest percentage of female drivers recorded as distracted who were also involved in a fatal crash, at 24.7%. Kansas ranked second for dangerous distracted drivers for both genders, with almost 10% less distracted men involved in fatal crashes at 16.5% and one in four (20.8%) distracted female drivers involved in a fatal incident.  

Drowsy driving hotspots 

Wyoming is the worst state for car crashes involving male drivers who were drowsy (i.e. with sleep deprivation), with the highest percentage of male drowsy drivers involved in fatal crashes. Of men who were involved in fatal crashes in the state, 7.3% were recorded as drowsy.   

The state with the highest percentage of drowsy female drivers involved in fatal crashes is Maine, with 5.3% of female drivers involved in crashes recorded as drowsy, more than five times the national average of 1%.  

The most dangerous states for speeding 

The state with the highest percentage of male drivers involved in crashes who were speeding is Rhode Island, where 38.7% of male drivers were involved in fatal crashes where speeding was involved.   

The worst state for car crashes involving speeding female drivers is Wyoming. In this state, 26.6% of women involved in fatal crashes were recorded as speeding. 

Drivers under the influence 

The worst state for crashes involving male drivers under the influence is Montana. In this state, of all the men who were involved in fatal crashes, 33.5% were recorded as under the influence (i.e. driving impaired by alcohol or other drugs). Montana also has the highest percentage of female drivers who were involved in crashes recorded as under the influence, at 29.9%. 

Where to find America’s most emotional drivers 

The worst state for car crashes involving male drivers who were recorded as emotional (angry, depressed, disturbed, etc.) is Michigan. In this state, of all the men who were involved in fatal crashes, 2.6% were emotional. Michigan is also the state with the highest percentage of female drivers involved in crashes who were recorded as emotional, at 6.6%.  

National comparisons 

Nationally, women are more likely to be involved in distracted crashes than men. In the US, 6.0% of women who were involved in fatal crashes were recorded as distracted drivers, compared to 5.3% of men.  

Across the country, men were more likely than women to be recorded as drowsy drivers when involved in crashes. 1.2% of men involved in fatal crashes were listed as drowsy drivers, in comparison to 1.0% of women.  

Men are also more likely to be involved in crashes where speeding plays a part. 20.5% of men involved in fatal crashes were recorded as speeding, while 12.3% of women were involved in fatal crashes where speeding was involved.  

A higher percentage of men were recorded as being under the influence when involved in a crash. 12.2% of men involved in fatal crashes were recorded as under the influence, compared to 8.5% of women involved in fatal crashes.  

When it comes to drivers involved in crashes who were recorded as emotional, women have a slightly higher percentage than men. The percentage of female drivers who were involved in fatal crashes who were emotional is 0.6%, while the percentage for men is 0.3%.  

Table: The national rate of fatal crashes per gender for each factor 

Factor	Number of male drivers	Percentage of male drivers	Number of female drivers	Percentage of female drivers	Total
Drowsy	2,516	1.24%	670	0.96%	3,186
Distracted	10,652	5.27%	4,190	6.03%	14,842
Speeding	41,424	20.49%	8,576	12.35%	50,000
Under the influence	24,728	12.23%	5,926	8.53%	30,654
Emotional	616	0.30%	442	0.64%	1,058

Commenting on the study, a spokesperson from High Rise Financial said:  

“Distracted driving, speeding, driving under the influence, driving while drowsy or emotional are all dangerous forms of driving that afflict American motorists every year. 

“Ensuring that people take responsibility for their actions on the road and drive carefully will help avoid accidents. By better understanding which type of crashes are more common in specific areas and for certain drivers, road users, safety officials, and highway administrations can ensure that they all take the shared responsibility to drive safely. 

“Some of the largest states by area, like Alaska, Texas, and Montana, are among the worst states for drowsy drivers. With greater distances required to drive state-wide in some parts of the country, drivers are reminded to stop immediately at the next rest stop or a safe, well-lit area if they begin to feel tired. Even taking a 20-minute nap can help, allowing you to enjoy some rest and be more alert on the road afterwards.” 

Worst states for car crashes based on gender

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Reasearch provided by https://www.highriselegalfunding.com/