The 25 Worst States for Distracted Driving

Be most careful in these states, where drivers who aren't paying attention pose the greatest risks.

Feb. 05, 2020

Distracted driving accounts for hazardous and even fatal accidents. These 25 states top the list as the most dangerous places in the United States for distracted driving.

American drivers are paying attention to many things other than the road. They’re devouring breakfast burritos, applying makeup and, of course, texting, tweeting and looking up directions on their smartphones. But driving while distracted can be dangerous for everyone on the road. From minor fender benders to fatal accidents, these incidents have a huge impact on drivers across the country. In 2017, there were 3,166 fatalities involving distracted driving in the United States.

MoneyGeek analyzed which states have the highest rates of distracted driving using federal statistics. States were ranked based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to calculate the fatality rate based on distracted-driving deaths per billion miles driven.

Here are the 25 states where drivers not paying attention pose the gravest dangers. We count down to the most hazardous state for distracted driving.

25. Delaware

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 15
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 20,646.3
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.73

24. Alaska

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 8
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 11,006
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.73

23. North Carolina

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 182
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 240,303.6
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.76

22. Nebraska

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 32
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 41,976.8
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.76

21. Alabama

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 112
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 141,844.5
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.79

20. Wyoming

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 16
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 20,223.1
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.79

19. Arizona

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 112
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 131,214.1
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.85

18. Virginia

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 151
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 170,599.1
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.89

17. Wisconsin

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 118
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 131,209.1
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.9

16. New York

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 245
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 247,242.2
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 0.99

15. Missouri

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 153
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 152,506.3
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1

14. Florida

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 451
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 440,641.5
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.02

13. Colorado

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 124
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 107,335.7
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.16

12. Oklahoma

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 111
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 94,835.3
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.17

11. South Carolina

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 141
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 112,297.9
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.26

10. Idaho

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 47
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 35,009.5
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.34

9. Texas

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 758
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 555,018.2
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.37

8. West Virginia

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 54
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 38,519.7
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.4

7. New Jersey

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 251
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 155,047.5
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 1.62

6. Washington

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 259
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 123,786.6
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 2.09

5. Hawaii

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 57
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 21,635.4
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 2.63

4. Louisiana

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 268
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 99,266.3
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 2.7

3. Kentucky

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 279
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 98,782.9
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 2.82

2. Kansas

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 201
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 64,448.6
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 3.12

1. New Mexico

2017–2018 total distracted driving deaths: 273
2017–2018 miles driven (in millions): 56,968.5
Distracted driving fatality rate (per billion miles traveled): 4.79

A veteran business journalist, Jeff Ostrowski writes for MoneyGeek and the Palm Beach Post in Florida.

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