Top 10 States with the Least Automotive Fatalities

Fatal accidents, despite the tremendous growth in population and drivers, not to mention the increase in total miles driven, have been on a downward trend in the United States for five years now.  2005 was the last year fatal accidents increased in the U.S. with a total of 39,525 people killed in automobile accidents.  Since then, they’ve fallen to just 30,797 for the most recent year of statistics available from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).

Since we’ve looked at the top 10 states with the most automotive fatalities, we’re also giving the top 10 states with the least fatal accidents an examination as well. Unlike the previous top 10 listing of most auto fatalities, where each of the 10 states experienced a drop in car accident fatalities, only three on this list had a drop in fatalities. A full seven of the states on this list had an increase in their total number of fatalities, despite being on this list.

Thus, a majority of the states on this list bucked the overall national trend and actually experienced an increase in automotive fatalities year-to-year.  Without further adieu, here are the top 10 states with the least automotive fatalities:

10. Maine

Originally part of Massachusetts, Maine became a state as part of the Missouri Compromise in 1820.  Beyond the seafood it is famous for, much of Maine is still rural land with a population of just over 1.3 million residents.  Low population density, Maine is both #40 in population and automobile fatalities, is part of the reason Maine with just 159 automotive related fatalities, but that is an increase over 2008 by four, when just 155 people died on Maine roadways.   The state has 1.06 fatalities for every 100 million miles driven.

9.  North Dakota

With right under less than 680,000 residents, North Dakota is ranked at #48 of all states in terms of population, which makes it a bit of an overachiever in terms of fatalities by traffic accidents.  The state had 140 total traffic fatalities in 2009, an increase of 36 over the preceding year.  The state experiences 1.33 traffic fatalities for every 100 million miles driven.

8.  Wyoming

To say Wyoming is sparsely populated is an understatement.  With just over 544,000 residents, there are only 5.1 people for every square mile in Wyoming. The state is one of the few on this list that held true to the national trend of decreasing fatalities as well, with just 134 persons killed in automotive accidents, compared to 159 in 2008.   The number of fatalities per 100 million miles driven is high, coming in at 1.68 people killed.

7. South Dakota

South Dakota is another sparsely populated state, with a total population of just under 813,000.  But compared to our previous entry, South Dakota seems densely populated, with 9.9 residents for every square mile.  Total automobile related fatalities clocked in at 131, up 10 over the previous year’s total.  There are 1.35 deaths in South Dakota for every 100 million miles driven each year.

6. Delaware

Delaware is the second New England state to appear on this list.  In fact, a full half of the states here are in New England.  Total population of Delaware is just over 885,000.  The state also went along with the national trend of declining fatalities, with just 116 people killed in automotive accidents, five fewer than in 2008.  Delaware has a rate of 1.35 persons killed for each 100 million miles driven on their roadways.

5. New Hampshire

Our third New England entry, New Hampshire is yet another low population entry on our list, with just over 1,324,000 residents.  The state is one of the three on this listing that followed the national trend of declining deaths.  Just 110 people died on New Hampshire roadways in 2009, 28 less than died in 2008.  The state has a low rate of 1.06 fatalities for every 100 million miles driven each year.

4. Hawaii

The first entry not part of the contiguous 48 states may be one of our prettiest.  Another low population state, with just over 1,295,000 residents, Hawaii experienced just 109 automotive related deaths in 2009, an increase of two over the preceding year.  The state also features a low rate of 1.04 deaths for every 100 million miles driven on its roads each year.

3. Rhode Island

The smallest state, based on land volume, Rhode Island has a population of just over 1 million residents.  It’s also the first state we’ve featured that had less than triple digits in fatalities.  A total of 83 persons were killed in highway accidents in 2009, an increase of 18 from the previous year.  Rhode Island is also one of the safest states, with the third best nationwide rate of 0.79 deaths for every 100 million miles traveled on their roads.

2. Vermont

The fifth and final New England entry to appear on this list, Vermont has a total population of just over 621,000 residents.  A total of 74 persons were killed on Vermont roadways in 2009, which represents an increase of just a single person over the prior year.  The state has a low incidence of just a single death per every 100 million miles driven on their roadways.

1. Alaska

The second non-contiguous state to appear on this list is also our largest state based on land volume leads the nation with the least number of highway fatalities.  With just under 700,000 total residents, Alaska experienced a total of 64 automotive related fatalities in 2009.  This represented an increase of two over the prior year.  Alaska experiences 1.27 deaths for every 100 million miles driven on its roads each year.

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