You don’t have to be in a car accident to know that there are some terrible drivers out there. And with St. Joseph being so close to three other states – Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa – the different license plates that we see on the roads can make it seem like some states have worse drivers than others.
Now, a study by an insurance group looked into that precise issue, ranking each state by how safe their drivers were.
Study Shows Which States Have the Worst Drivers
Using data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the website CarInsuranceComparison.com looked into where the country’s worst drivers were. The site ranked each state in five categories from 1-51 (the District of Columbia was included in the study):
- Car accident fatalities per 100 million miles traveled,
- The percentage of fatal car crashes that involved traffic signal, seat belt, or driver’s license infractions,
- The percentage of fatal crashes that involved drunk driving,
- The percentage of fatal car accidents that involved speeding, and
- Deadly car accidents with bikes and pedestrians, per 100,000 people in the state.
The study then added all of the points of these five categories together. Low scores and rankings meant the state had worse drivers, while high scores meant the state’s drivers were safe. So Minnesota came in 51st and so had the safest drivers. Texas and Louisiana tied for 1st, with the worst drivers
Missouri Ranked in the Middle of the Pack
Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, Missouri finished 27th, just a little better than average. Missouri’s worst score came in speeding, where we finished 11th, while our best score was in car accidents with bikes or pedestrians, where we came in 40th.
Neighboring Iowa, however, finished a very solid 48th, behind only Minnesota, Vermont, and Virginia for having the safest drivers. Iowa scored exceptionally well in all categories except for vehicle infractions, where it finished 9th.
Nebraska finished 38th in the study, while Kansas placed 40th, leaving Missouri the worst in the area.
Car Accident Attorneys at the Smith Law Office
This does not necessarily mean that you, personally, are a bad driver. It simply means that this study found that drivers from Missouri scored poorly in these particular areas. Unfortunately, each metric that the study used is something that can put you at risk on the road, even if you are driving safely.
This is where personal injury attorneys, like those at the Smith Law Office, come into play. When you get involved in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, and get hurt as a result, you should be able to count on the person responsible for helping you out. Getting compensated for your injuries is often necessary for you to make a full recovery.
However, it often takes a personal injury lawsuit to ensure you get the compensation that you deserve. If you have been hurt in a car accident in the St. Joseph area and want to explore your legal options, contact the Smith Law Office online or at (816) 875-9373.