Transportation
Driving Deaths Drop to 37,133 in 2017: A Look At All 50 States
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The number of car deaths fell 1.8% in 2017 compared to 2016. The total last year was 37,133. According to data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the change in traffic fatalities varied considerably between states.
The national drop can be attributed to several factors, including greater seat belt use, less driving by people impaired by alcohol, and a rise in quality and adoption of airbags and other vehicle safety features.
Alcohol continued to be a factor in a huge number of deaths. “Alcohol-related-driving fatalities,” the government office’s term, comprised 29% of the national total. On a slightly positive note, these fell by 1.1% last year to the lowest level since 1982, when the government started tracking these data.
Fatalities in the major categories used by the NHTSA changed very little from 2008: 36% were in passenger cars, 27% were in light trucks and 4% were in heavy trucks and buses. Also, 14% were motorcyclists and 19% were pedestrians or bicycles.
The analysis also shows swings in deaths by state. The total number of traffic fatalities fell last year in 27 states. The largest drop occurred in New Hampshire, where the number of traffic deaths fell 25% from 136 to 102. The largest reduction in total traffic deaths was in California, with 235 fewer fatalities.
Traffic went deaths rose in 22 states. The largest rise occurred in Rhode Island, where the number of traffic deaths rose 63% from 51 to 83. The largest rise in total traffic deaths was in Indiana, with 85 additional fatalities.
| Total fatalities 2017 | Rank | Alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities — % 2017 | Rank | Total fatalities 2016 | Rank | Alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities — % 2016 | Rank | 2016-2017 % change | 2016-2017 alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities % change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nation | 37,133 | 29% | 37,806 | 29% | -2% | -1% | ||||
| Alabama | 948 | 14th | 28% | 24th | 1,083 | 8th | 28% | 29th | -13% | -10% |
| Alaska | 79 | 49th | 28% | 24th | 84 | 48th | 36% | 10th | -6% | -27% |
| Arizona | 1,000 | 11th | 28% | 24th | 952 | 14th | 25% | 40th | 5% | 16% |
| Arkansas | 493 | 27th | 28% | 24th | 561 | 25th | 24% | 42nd | -12% | 6% |
| California | 3,602 | 2nd | 31% | 13th | 3,837 | 1st | 29% | 24th | -6% | 0% |
| Colorado | 648 | 22nd | 27% | 31st | 608 | 22nd | 26% | 36th | 7% | 10% |
| Connecticut | 278 | 36th | 43% | 1st | 304 | 35th | 38% | 7th | -9% | 3% |
| Delaware | 119 | 44th | 27% | 31st | 119 | 44th | 31% | 14th | 0% | -14% |
| Florida | 3,112 | 3rd | 27% | 31st | 3,176 | 3rd | 28% | 29th | -2% | -7% |
| Georgia | 1,540 | 4th | 24% | 41st | 1,556 | 4th | 25% | 40th | -1% | -5% |
| Hawaii | 107 | 46th | 39% | 4th | 120 | 43rd | 32% | 12th | -11% | 11% |
| Idaho | 244 | 38th | 25% | 39th | 253 | 38th | 30% | 17th | -4% | -21% |
| Illinois | 1,097 | 8th | 32% | 9th | 1,078 | 9th | 31% | 14th | 2% | 4% |
| Indiana | 914 | 16th | 24% | 41st | 829 | 17th | 26% | 36th | 10% | 2% |
| Iowa | 330 | 33rd | 27% | 31st | 402 | 31st | 27% | 34th | -18% | -19% |
| Kansas | 461 | 28th | 22% | 47th | 429 | 29th | 23% | 44th | 8% | 2% |
| Kentucky | 782 | 18th | 23% | 46th | 834 | 16th | 21% | 48th | -6% | 3% |
| Louisiana | 760 | 19th | 28% | 24th | 757 | 19th | 30% | 17th | 0% | -7% |
| Maine | 172 | 41st | 29% | 19th | 160 | 41st | 39% | 4th | 8% | -19% |
| Maryland | 550 | 26th | 34% | 7th | 522 | 27th | 27% | 34th | 5% | 31% |
| Massachusetts | 350 | 32nd | 34% | 7th | 387 | 33rd | 38% | 7th | -10% | -19% |
| Michigan | 1,030 | 10th | 30% | 16th | 1,065 | 10th | 23% | 44th | -3% | 28% |
| Minnesota | 357 | 31st | 24% | 41st | 392 | 32nd | 24% | 42nd | -9% | -11% |
| Mississippi | 690 | 20th | 21% | 48th | 687 | 20th | 19% | 49th | 0% | 12% |
| Missouri | 930 | 15th | 27% | 31st | 947 | 15th | 26% | 36th | -2% | 3% |
| Montana | 186 | 40th | 30% | 16th | 190 | 40th | 44% | 3rd | -2% | -33% |
| Nebraska | 228 | 39th | 29% | 19th | 218 | 39th | 28% | 29th | 5% | 8% |
| Nevada | 309 | 34th | 29% | 19th | 329 | 34th | 31% | 14th | -6% | -13% |
| New Hampshire | 102 | 47th | 26% | 37th | 136 | 42nd | 29% | 24th | -25% | -33% |
| New Jersey | 624 | 23rd | 20% | 49th | 602 | 24th | 23% | 44th | 4% | -9% |
| New Mexico | 379 | 30th | 32% | 9th | 405 | 30th | 30% | 17th | -6% | 0% |
| New York | 999 | 12th | 30% | 16th | 1,041 | 11th | 28% | 29th | -4% | 0% |
| North Carolina | 1,412 | 5th | 29% | 19th | 1,450 | 5th | 30% | 17th | -3% | -6% |
| North Dakota | 115 | 45th | 40% | 3rd | 113 | 46th | 46% | 1st | 2% | -12% |
| Ohio | 1,179 | 6th | 28% | 24th | 1,132 | 7th | 29% | 24th | 4% | 1% |
| Oklahoma | 655 | 21st | 25% | 39th | 687 | 20th | 28% | 29th | -5% | -13% |
| Oregon | 437 | 29th | 31% | 13th | 498 | 28th | 30% | 17th | -12% | -9% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,137 | 7th | 28% | 24th | 1,188 | 6th | 29% | 24th | -4% | -8% |
| Rhode Island | 83 | 48th | 41% | 2nd | 51 | 50th | 37% | 9th | 63% | 79% |
| South Carolina | 988 | 13th | 32% | 9th | 1,020 | 13th | 33% | 11th | -3% | -8% |
| South Dakota | 129 | 42nd | 27% | 31st | 116 | 45th | 39% | 4th | 11% | -22% |
| Tennessee | 1,040 | 9th | 24% | 41st | 1,037 | 12th | 22% | 47th | 0% | 11% |
| Texas | 3,722 | 1st | 39% | 4th | 3,797 | 2nd | 39% | 4th | -2% | -1% |
| Utah | 273 | 37th | 19% | 50th | 281 | 36th | 19% | 49th | -3% | 0% |
| Vermont | 69 | 50th | 26% | 37th | 62 | 49th | 45% | 2nd | 11% | -36% |
| Virginia | 839 | 17th | 29% | 19th | 760 | 18th | 29% | 24th | 10% | 10% |
| Washington | 565 | 25th | 32% | 9th | 536 | 26th | 30% | 17th | 5% | 11% |
| West Virginia | 303 | 35th | 24% | 41st | 269 | 37th | 26% | 36th | 13% | 4% |
| Wisconsin | 613 | 24th | 31% | 13th | 607 | 23rd | 32% | 12th | 1% | -4% |
| Wyoming | 123 | 43rd | 36% | 6th | 112 | 47th | 30% | 17th | 10% | 29% |
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