Distracted driving is a serious issue that is causing thousands of deaths on American roads each year. A recent study conducted by Bader Scott Injury Lawyers has highlighted the states with the highest and lowest rates of distracted driving fatalities.
According to the study, New Mexico ranked as the worst state for distracted driving, with a final score of 100. Almost 40% of fatal crashes in New Mexico were caused by distracted driving. Following New Mexico, the ten worst states for distracted driving included Kansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Hawaii, Idaho, Texas, Wyoming, and Washington.
The overall score for each state was determined by factors such as total crash deaths, fatalities caused by distracted drivers, deaths per 100,000 residents, and distracted drivers per 100,000 licensed drivers. New Mexico performed poorly in several categories, including the number of distracted drivers per 100,000 licensed drivers.
On the other hand, some states excelled in the study, with Rhode Island ranking as the best state for distracted driving with a score of 0. The top ten states for distracted driving also included Connecticut, Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, California, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Iowa.
The data for the study was collected from sources such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Federal Highway Administration (FHA), and Census Bureau Population figures. It is important to note that while the distracted driving rankings are for the 2024 calendar year, the data from NHTSA and FHA used in the study was from 2022.
The overall scores for each state were calculated based on three key indicators: distracted driving fatality percentage, the number of people killed per 100,000 residents by distracted drivers, and the number of distracted drivers involved per 100,000 licensed drivers in fatal crashes. These weighted scores were used to determine the final rankings of the states.
Distracted driving is a dangerous behavior that can have deadly consequences. It is crucial for states to implement measures to address distracted driving and ensure the safety of all road users. By raising awareness and enforcing laws against distracted driving, we can work towards reducing the number of fatalities on our roads caused by this dangerous behavior.