Speeding remains one of the leading causes of fatal collisions in the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding was a contributing factor in approximately 26% of all traffic fatalities. However, one state stands out for its relatively low rate of high-speed fatal collisions: Florida. Despite its reputation as a state with a high traffic volume and a large number of tourists on the roads, Florida has managed to maintain a relatively low rate of fatal collisions involving high speeds.
A new study has revealed the states with the fewest fatal vehicle crashes involving speeding, with Florida taking the top spot.
Ohio personal injury lawyers The Fitch Law Firm analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which reported on the number of fatal crashes per state between 2017 and 2021 and the number for which speeding was primarily responsible.
Florida ranks at the top as the state with the fewest speeding fatalities, with 9.38% of all fatal crashes being a result of speeding offenses. The state experienced 15,342 fatal crashes in the five years, with 1,439 reported speeding-related.
Coming in second is Mississippi. The state had 3,167 fatal crashes, with 421 of them being a result of speeding drivers; that equates to 13.29% of all confirmed fatalities from cases where speed was the primary fault.
Third in the ranking is Nebraska, with 15.50% of all fatal crashes related to speeding. Nebraska ranks first among the top ten states for the fewest total crashes, 1,032 to be precise; 160 of this number involved speeding.
Tennessee ranks fourth, with 15.57% of all fatal collisions involving speeding offenses—826 of the 5,304 total.
In fifth place is Kentucky, with 16.65% of fatal vehicle crashes due to speeding. Of the 3,496 total, 582 of those crashes involved being above the speed limit.
Georgia comes in sixth, with 1,361 speed-related fatal crashes. With a total of 7,413, that equals 18.36% of all fatal collisions reported as a speeding felony.
Seventh on the list is Iowa, with 20.47% of all reported fatal crashes relating to speeding. Iowa ranks third among the top ten states for the fewest crashes, having 1,544 in total; 316 of these crashes were due to speeding offenses.
Louisiana takes eighth place, with 20.80% of all fatal crashes being due to speed offenses. Of the 3,754 total, 781 crashes involved speeding.
New Jersey ranks ninth, with 21.39% of all crash fatalities caused by being above the speed limit. With 2,857 fatal crashes, 611 were reported as speeding.
Landing the tenth spot is Idaho, with 239 reported speeding-related fatal collisions. Idaho ranks second among the top ten states for the fewest total crashes – 1,072 to be precise. That equals 22.29% caused by exceeding the limit.
A spokesperson from The Fitch Law Firm commented: “While these ten states have lower figures of fatal collisions from speeding than others, it seems this offense is a nationwide issue. Regardless of where your state places in the ranking, it’s crucial for drivers to remain safe and remember to stick to the speed limit.”
The Fitch Law Firm, a personal injury lawyer based in Ohio, conducted this study.
Methodology
Data on fatal motor vehicle crashes that occurred between 2017 and 2021 was sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The number of fatalities where speeding was reported as the primary cause was measured against the total number of fatalities to calculate the percentage.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here