Maine ranks fifth in the nation for the number of car accidents. Many Maine drivers get into crashes.
This costs drivers more money for insurance and causes injuries. Maine’s accident rate is much higher than that of most other states.
Maine’s Broader Safety Concerns
Maine drivers cause accidents even though they don’t speed as much as in other states. This means the problem isn’t about speed.
It’s about bad driving habits. Maine’s roads are hazardous, whether you’re a local or a visitor.
9: Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a high number of car accidents but a relatively low rate of speeding tickets. This is strange.
It means drivers there drive recklessly, but not too fast. They tailgate, change lanes badly, and drive aggressively instead of speeding.
The Northeast Pattern of Aggressive Driving
Massachusetts drivers rush and drive aggressively. They want to get somewhere fast and don’t care about safety.
This aggressive style causes lots of crashes. Roads in Massachusetts are much more dangerous than average.
8: California
California is bad in three ways: accidents, drunk driving, and overall incidents. Los Angeles traffic is famous for being horrible.
Many people drive there and cause numerous problems. The roads are chaotic and dangerous.
The California Driving Culture Problem
California has lots of accidents and drunk drivers, but not too many speeders. This means the real problem is drunk driving and reckless behavior, not speed.
Los Angeles traffic is so bad that it actually keeps accidents from being worse.
7: Minnesota
Minnesota drivers speed a lot. They exceed the speed limit on many roads. Empty rural highways make drivers think they can go fast safely.
However, speeding is always dangerous, regardless of how empty the road is.
Minnesota’s DUI Problem Compounds Speeding Issues
Minnesota has both speeders and drunk drivers. This is a dangerous mix. Drivers there speed AND drive drunk.
The cold winters and empty roads might lead drivers to think that risky behavior is acceptable.
6: Wyoming
Wyoming has a serious drunk driving problem. The state doesn’t get much attention, but the data is alarming.
Wyoming is vast and largely uninhabited, with few towns. People might think driving drunk is safer in an open space, but it’s not.
Wyoming’s Rural Driving Culture
Wyoming is isolated with long distances between towns. There’s no public transportation. This might make people more comfortable driving drunk.
The drunk driving rate is very high for a state with few people.
5: Washington
Washington ranks among the top five states for various driving-related issues. It’s not just one thing.
Drivers there have accidents, speed, drive drunk, and get tickets. Seattle’s traffic might be part of the problem.
Washington’s Multi-Factor Safety Crisis
Washington drivers are bad at everything. It’s not just speeding like North Dakota. The state has a general problem with how people drive.
It could be due to inadequate driver education or insufficient police enforcement.
4: Rhode Island
Rhode Island is a small state, but it has the second-highest number of accidents in the nation.
With so many bad drivers in such a small place, the roads become very dangerous. Crashes occur frequently and cause constant traffic congestion.
Rhode Island’s Dangerous Roads
Rhode Island’s roads are among the most dangerous in America. It’s a small state with a large population.
Many drivers rush between Boston and New York. This creates constant danger and accidents.
3: Utah
Utah drivers speed a lot. The state has scenic highways and open roads. Drivers go too fast on these roads.
Younger drivers in Utah might speed more than older drivers do elsewhere.
Utah’s DUI Problem
Utah also has lots of drunk drivers. Speeding AND drunk driving together are very dangerous.
Utah has outdoor recreation areas where people can enjoy a drink. Then they drive on mountain roads while impaired, which causes crashes.
2: New Jersey
New Jersey has the highest number of accidents of any state. The accident rate is 31.5 per 1,000 drivers.
No other state goes above 30. New Jersey drivers are responsible for more crashes than anywhere else in America.
New Jersey’s Interstate Nightmare
I-95 in New Jersey is always blocked by accidents. The accidents cause traffic jams, not just volume. New Jersey drivers are aggressive.
They don’t speed much, but they drive recklessly and frequently cause crashes.
1: North Dakota
North Dakota is the worst state for drivers. It’s bad in almost every category. The state has 64 incidents per 1,000 drivers.
That’s way higher than second place. These drivers break rules constantly.
North Dakota’s Specific Safety Catastrophes
North Dakota leads in speeding, drunk driving, and overall incidents. Drivers there ignore traffic laws.
Empty highways make drivers think they can speed and drive drunk. The state’s culture seems to accept dangerous driving behavior.
Sources:
Jalopnik, These US States Have The Worst Drivers, According To A New Study, December 2025