Mississippi among most dangerous states for fatal highway crashes. Here’s how bad
Mississippi is the second most dangerous state in the country for highway travel, a new study found.
The study by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers found that southern and rural states, like Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico and Arkansas, are among the most dangerous for highway travel as they have lower population densities and more rural road networks.
Here’s what Mississippians should know about the study’s findings.
Mississippi highway fatal crashes
The Magnolia State ranks second, behind Wyoming, for average annual fatal crashes per capita, according to the study.
For a population of 22,943,025 in 2024, the state had an annual average of about 277 fatal crashes, according to the data.
Which are the most dangerous states for highway fatal crashes?
These are the top 10 states with the highest average annual fatal crashes per capita, according to the study by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers:
1. Wyoming, 11.10 per capita
2. Mississippi, 9.42
3. Montana, 8.82
4. New Mexico, 8.38
5. Arkansas, 7.63
6. Tennessee, 7.57
7. Alabama, 6.80
8. South Carolina, 6.79
9. Louisiana, 6.77
10. Florida, 6.68
Which are the least dangerous states for highway fatal crashes?
These states have the lowest average annual fatal crashes per capita, according to the study by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers:
1. Washington, 2.27 per capita
2. Minnesota, 2.29
3. New York, 2.44
4. Massachusetts, 2.53
5. Maine, 2.78
6. Vermont, 2.81
7. Ohio, 2.89
8. New Hampshire, 3.07
9. Indiana, 3.21
10. Rhode Island, 3.21
How did law firm find most dangerous states for highway crashes?
The study by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers analyzed fatal crash data between 2020 and 2024 from the Fatal Analysis Reporting System and the Federal Highway Administration across all 50 U.S. states and compared those averages with 2024 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, according to the report. That information was used to rank states.
