Which States Have the Best and Worst Drivers in America?

On any road, you will likely encounter your fair share of good and bad drivers. From distracted driving to driving under the influence, there are a variety of ways that our driving can quickly go from good to bad. But bad driving isn’t just frustrating — it can also have deadly consequences. According to estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 40,990 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2023.

While bad drivers span the U.S., some states have safer drivers than others. Utilizing data from the NHTSA, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and other sources, MoneyGeek ranked the safest and most dangerous drivers in the U.S. with an overall driver score calculated from factors in the categories of safe driving habits (observed safety belt use, distracted driving fatalities and unrestrained fatalities), safe driving choices (DUI fatalities, speeding fatalities and DUI arrests) and the percentage of drivers with auto insurance. Here’s what we found.

Minnesota — ranked No.1 on our list — received the highest Safe Driving Habits score (indicating it has lower rates of unrestrained and distracted driving fatalities and higher rates of seatbelt use) and had the 10th-highest percentage of insured motorists in the country (91%). Minnesota also has auto insurance rates that often fall just below the national average of $1,385. Massachusetts — ranked No.3 on our list — received the highest Safe Driving Choices score, meaning the state has low rates of driving fatalities related to distracted driving or speeding.

Six of the states with the most dangerous drivers are found in the West, led by New Mexico, Wyoming (No. 3) and Montana (No. 4). The former scored the worst for Safe Driving Habits compared to others and has the lowest rate of insured drivers (75%). On the other side of the country, drivers in South Carolina ranked second-most dangerous in the U.S., scoring the poorest in the Safe Driving Choices category.

Determining whether someone is a good or bad driver requires looking beyond fatalities in the larger picture. By examining a variety of metrics and insights — including miles traveled, DUI arrest rates, seatbelt usage rates and rates of uninsured drivers — an overall view of driver habits and road safety for each state begins to emerge.

People who drive a lot aren’t necessarily better drivers. Statistically speaking, the more miles a person drives, the more likely they are to get in an accident. In fact, men tend to drive more miles than women, and men are also involved in more fatal accidents. All of MoneyGeek’s metrics are based on vehicle miles to account for differences in miles per person and are calculated based on miles driven in 2022 in each state.

When you drive while impaired, not only are you putting yourself at risk, but everyone else on the road as well. In 2022, accidents involving drunk driving accounted for 32% of driving fatalities. Even when drunk driving doesn’t lead to a crash, it brings a host of other problems worth avoiding. A DUI usually results in having your license revoked and being charged significantly more for your insurance premiums. With ridesharing options widely available, it’s never been easier to prevent a DUI.

It’s estimated that seat belts saved 374,276 lives from 1975 to 2017. Most drivers understand the value of buckling up, demonstrated by the fact that the national use rate of seat belts was 91.6% in 2022. Whether you’re behind the wheel or riding as a passenger, the small act of using a safety belt can save your life in an accident.

Getting in an accident with an uninsured motorist can be a headache for everyone involved. Ultimately, you'll be responsible for damage to your car if the person you’ve collided with doesn’t have protection. By securing an affordable car insurance policy, you can have peace of mind knowing you're financially protected in the event of an accident, regardless of whether you live in the state with the most or fewest insured drivers.

To rank the states with the best and the worst drivers in the U.S., MoneyGeek analyzed data from a variety of sources, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Federal Highway Administration, FBI and Insurance Research Council. We utilized seven key driving statistics to create our state ranking and calculate each state's Best Driver score.

• Rates of DUI arrests and DUI-related driving fatalities
• Speeding fatalities
• Restraint use (also known as safety belt use)
• Distracted driving fatalities
• Insured driver rates
• State population
• Vehicle miles traveled

We grouped these metrics into three ranking factors: Safe Habits, Safe Choices and Percent of Drivers with Insurance.

Safe Habits: By examining distracted driving and unrestrained fatalities, this ranking reflects safe-driving practices such as avoiding distracted driving and using seat belts (35% weight overall).

• Percent of Observed Safety Belt Use by All Drivers (2023) — 20%
• Unrestrained Fatality Rate (per 1 Billion Miles Traveled) — 10%
• Distracted Driving Fatality Rate (per 1 Billion Miles Traveled) — 5%

Safe Choices: Using DUI fatalities, DUI arrests and speeding fatalities, this ranking reflects the overall rate of safe choices drivers make on the road (55% weight overall).

• 2022 DUI Fatality Rate per 1 Billion Miles Traveled — 25%
• 2023 DUI Arrests per Miles Traveled — 5%
• 2022 Speeding Fatality Rate (per Billion Miles) — 25%

Percentage of Drivers with Insurance: A good driver is a responsible driver. This ranking looked at the number of drivers who have adequate car insurance. This information is important not only to gauge driver responsibility but also for third-party drivers who may get in an accident with an uninsured motorist (10% weight overall).

Each data point is weighted on key aspects of being a good driver. That's why certain states, like Minnesota, may not rank No.1 in all three subrankings, but they still come out as the overall state with the safest drivers.

Below, you can find our full data set table, where we include each state's individual score for each of these categories, as well as its overall Best Driver score, population and vehicle miles traveled.