Special Report

States With the Most Fatal Accidents

Steven Peters

Published: May 1, 2017 2:52 pm

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 12:27 pm

Abruptly losing a loved one in an accident is one of life’s greatest tragedies. While often regarded as rare, approximately one American dies in an accident every four minutes. In fact, fatalities from car crashes, drug overdoses, and other accidents are the most common types of death in the first half of an American’s life.

Nationwide, 43.2 Americans died as a result of some form of accident for every 100,000 people in 2015, but not all states report the same rate of deadly accidents. In Maryland, 29.7 people died of accidents per 100,000 state residents — the state where deadly accidents are most rare. West Virginia has the highest rate of deaths from accidents with 77.9 deaths per 100,000 residents.

With data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the accidental death rate in every state.

Click here to see the states with the most fatal accidents.

Poisoning is the leading cause of accidental death nationwide, and the vast majority of these deaths are from accidental drug overdoses. Opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 1999 and are the most common form of drug overdose.

Accidental drug overdose rates vary more between states than any other leading cause of accidental death and explain much of the variances between states. In West Virginia, for example, the unintentional overdose rate of 37.2 per 100,000 residents is over six times higher than in Maryland, the state with the lowest rate of accidental drug overdoses.

After poisoning, motor vehicle accidents and falls are the next leading causes of accidental death. Combined with poisoning, these three causes account for 79% of all accidental deaths nationwide.

Many steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood of a deadly accident. Between 1975 and 2008, seat belts saved an estimated 255,000 lives. Exercise programs for older adults have helped reduce falls in some areas by as much as 50%. However, the explosion of opioid use has overshadowed these and other improvements as the accidental death rate has risen for the sixth year in a row.

To determine the states with the most and least deadly accidents, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2015 accidental death rate in each state with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of accidental deaths, the leading cause of accidental deaths, as well as the number of accidental deaths from falls, drug overdoses, and motor vehicle accidents were also obtained from the CDC.

These are the states with the most fatal accidents.

Source: Thinkstock

50. Maryland
> Accidental death rate: 29.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,903
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 620

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Source: Thinkstock

49. New York
> Accidental death rate: 30.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 6,515
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 2,326

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48. California
> Accidental death rate: 30.6 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 12,544
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 4,002

Source: Thinkstock

47. Hawaii
> Accidental death rate: 32.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 536
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 139

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

46. New Jersey
> Accidental death rate: 33.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,218
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,326

Source: Thinkstock

45. Illinois
> Accidental death rate: 35.8 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 4,850
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,587

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Source: Thinkstock

44. Texas
> Accidental death rate: 37.4 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 9,976
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 3,722

Source: Thinkstock

43. Nebraska
> Accidental death rate: 38.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 799
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 268

Source: Wikimedia Commons

42. Virginia
> Accidental death rate: 39.6 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,429
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 881

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Source: Thinkstock

41. Washington
> Accidental death rate: 41.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,192
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 953

Source: Thinkstock

40. Minnesota
> Accidental death rate: 42.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,574
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 1,089

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Source: Thinkstock

39. Iowa
> Accidental death rate: 42.1 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,537
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 555

Source: Thinkstock

38. Georgia
> Accidental death rate: 43.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 4,344
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 1,471

Source: Thinkstock

37. Michigan
> Accidental death rate: 43.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 4,647
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,556

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Source: Thinkstock

36. Massachusetts
> Accidental death rate: 44.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,229
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,606

Source: Thinkstock

35. North Dakota
> Accidental death rate: 44.1 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 368
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 137

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Source: Thinkstock

34. Oregon
> Accidental death rate: 44.5 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,999
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 730

Source: Thinkstock

33. Idaho
> Accidental death rate: 44.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 746
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 243

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougtone/

32. Connecticut
> Accidental death rate: 44.8 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,799
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 720

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

31. Nevada
> Accidental death rate: 45.4 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,340
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 517

Source: Thinkstock

30. Utah
> Accidental death rate: 45.6 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,223
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 427

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

29. Delaware
> Accidental death rate: 46.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 449
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 169

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28. Florida
> Accidental death rate: 46.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 10,578
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 2,772

Source: Thinkstock

27. Kansas
> Accidental death rate: 47.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,475
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 398

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Source: Thinkstock

26. Indiana
> Accidental death rate: 47.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,258
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,060

Source: Thinkstock

25. North Carolina
> Accidental death rate: 47.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 4,991
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 1,518

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Source: Thinkstock

24. Vermont
> Accidental death rate: 48.4 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 346
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 145

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23. Arizona
> Accidental death rate: 49.2 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,539
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 998

Source: Thinkstock

22. Wisconsin
> Accidental death rate: 49.3 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,206
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 1,341

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Source: Thinkstock

21. South Dakota
> Accidental death rate: 49.5 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 469
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 143

Source: Thinkstock

20. Arkansas
> Accidental death rate: 49.6 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,538
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 593

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Source: Thinkstock

19. Colorado
> Accidental death rate: 49.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,725
> Leading cause of accidental death: Falls
> Accidental deaths from falls: 850

Source: Thinkstock

18. Missouri
> Accidental death rate: 50.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,309
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 888

Source: Thinkstock

17. Alabama
> Accidental death rate: 50.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,552
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 962

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Source: Thinkstock

16. Pennsylvania
> Accidental death rate: 52.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 7,324
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 2,951

Source: Thinkstock

15. Rhode Island
> Accidental death rate: 53.1 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 649
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 281

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Source: Thinkstock

14. Maine
> Accidental death rate: 53.8 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 802
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 239

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13. South Carolina
> Accidental death rate: 54.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,737
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 985

Source: Thinkstock

12. Louisiana
> Accidental death rate: 54.7 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,578
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 805

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Source: Thinkstock

11. Ohio
> Accidental death rate: 55.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 6,756
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 3,053

Source: Thinkstock

10. Montana
> Accidental death rate: 56.3 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 637
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 220

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Source: Thinkstock

9. Tennessee
> Accidental death rate: 56.4 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 3,873
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,269

Source: Thinkstock

8. Alaska
> Accidental death rate: 57.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 388
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 105

Source: Thinkstock

7. New Hampshire
> Accidental death rate: 59.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 815
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 369

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Source: Thinkstock

6. Mississippi
> Accidental death rate: 59.8 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,814
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 769

Source: Thinkstock

5. Oklahoma
> Accidental death rate: 60.1 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,422
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 673

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Source: Thinkstock

4. Wyoming
> Accidental death rate: 65.8 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 400
> Leading cause of accidental death: Motor Vehicle Accidents
> Motor vehicle accident deaths: 134

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3. Kentucky
> Accidental death rate: 66.0 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 2,962
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 1,144

Source: Thinkstock

2. New Mexico
> Accidental death rate: 67.3 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,430
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 417

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Source: Wikimedia Commons

1. West Virginia
> Accidental death rate: 77.9 (per 100,000)
> Accidental deaths: 1,516
> Leading cause of accidental death: Poison
> Accidental deaths from drug overdoses: 647