Driving Deaths Drop to 37,133 in 2017: A Look At All 50 States

October 4, 2018 by Douglas A. McIntyre

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.

Driving Fatalities in All 50 States, 2016 and 2017

	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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Driving Deaths Drop to 37,133 in 2017: A Look At All 50 States

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