California

U.S. traffic fatalities are on the rise, but it turns out that some states shoulder more blame than others. Using data obtained from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA) for 2017, Car Insurance Comparison ranked all 50 states from most dangerous to least, based on:

• The fatality rate per 100 million miles traveled
• The number of fatalities resulting from the failure to obey traffic laws, drunk driving, speeding, and careless driving

At number 15, California’s numbers aren’t quite as shocking as those of other states. However, its worst ranking is with regard to careless-driving fatalities, defined as the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed by motorists per thousand residents; it’s the ninth worst in the nation. The biggest cause of careless driving is distraction (checking phones, maps, radios, etc.), and distracted driving has surpassed drunk driving as a top factor in traffic fatalities

The complete results of the study provide rankings for each state plus the Washington, D.C., but these are the highlights.