Name and shame list: bad drivers all across America
US driving fatality statistics are on the rise for the first time since 2005 and cause for alarm. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates 43,000 people died in vehicle accidents in 2021. The worrisome trend continues in 2022 with a 7 percent increase in driving fatalities in the first quarter over the same period in the previous year.
According to the official statistics, published by NHTSA, the total upsurge in driving fatality is around 13 per cent between 2019 to 2023.
Not all bad driving habits lead to serious accidents, still they can bring about traffic violations, and some put undue stress on your car. Drivers have a responsibility to their passengers, themselves, and other road users to audit their behavior and drive as safely as possible. However, among the biggest culprits in case of fatal crashes is unsafe driving, such as speeding, driving while distracted, but also aggressive driving.
In keeping with a new Forbes Advisor study, in certain US states drivers are more dangerous than in others. Following a comprehensive analysis of data from all 50 US states, Forbes Advisor present a list of states with the worst drivers. New Mexico is on the top of the list, with the worst drivers in the US. In New Mexico almost every person behind the wheel seems to be driving distracted and this leads to the highest number of fatality accidents in US. Besides, speed is a huge problem in New Mexico. Most of the times, road accidents in this state are provoked by drunk drivers. Disobeying traffic signs, traffic signals or a traffic officer is also a major cause of road accidents in New Mexico.
On the second place we have Wyoming. Most of the accidents there happen because of sleep deprivation. Drivers are drowsy and they provoke the highest number of fatal car accidents. Driving Under Influence – DUI – is also another major reason of car crashes in Wyoming. Racing speed is also a major factor regarding road safety in this American State. Distraction driving is the fourth factor. And last but not least, many drivers in Wyoming are intoxicated. Driving drunk or drugged is illegal in every state and yet 30 percent of all traffic fatalities involve impaired drivers.
Texas ranks third on this name and shame list. Fatal car accidents here take place because of DUI driving, drunk driving and illegal speed. Apart from that, drowsy drivers in Texas provoke a high number of fatal car crashes. The Lone Star state has a problem also with distracted drivers: 1.91 per 100,000 licensed drivers.
In terms of fatal car accidents, Oklahoma, the Sooner State, has a rate of 24.32 per 100,000 licensed drivers. An overwhelming majority of car crashes happen because the driver is distracted. Another reason is fast driving, but also drunk driving plays a role : 6.3 per 100,000 licensed drivers. Oklahoma is also ninth highest in the number of fatal car accidents involving a driver who disobeyed traffic signs, traffic signals or a traffic officer.
The name and shame top ten list goes on with Montana, Louisiana, Kentucky and Kansas, Mississippi and Missouri.
