- New Mexico has the highest reckless driving risk, with 1 in 10 drivers involved in fatal crashes related to alcohol impairment and distracted driving.
- The highest rate of alcohol-related fatal crashes were recorded in Texas, with 1 in 5 drivers involved in crashes where alcohol is a factor.
- Arizona has a particularly high rate of hit-and-run fatal crashes, with 1 in 25 drivers involved in crashes where the driver flees the scene.
U.S. traffic fatalities declined by 3.8% to 39K, the lowest number since 2020, still, reckless driving remains a concern in different states. To determine the states with the most reckless drivers, Hasbrook & Hasbrook Personal Injury Lawyers analyzed data from official transportation and safety databases, focusing on fatal crashes linked to distracted driving, speeding, alcohol impairment, hit-and-run incidents and uninsured drivers. Crash rates per 100K drivers were calculated and normalized to allow comparisons across states. States were then ranked based on a composite score that reflects the overall level of reckless driving.
| State | Rate Of Uninsured Drivers | Fatal Crashes Caused by Distracted Drivers per 100K drivers | Number of Fatal Crashes Speeding Involved per 100K drivers | Number of Fatal Crashes Alcohol Involved per 100K drivers | Number of Fatal Crashes Hit and Run per 100K drivers | Score |
| New Mexico | 0.25 | 10.08 | 3.38 | 17.17 | 3.45 | 100 |
| Louisiana | 0.14 | 7.44 | 2.97 | 17.23 | 2.65 | 72 |
| Tennessee | 0.21 | 1.26 | 0.24 | 16.12 | 3.36 | 51 |
| Texas | 0.14 | 2.02 | 0.74 | 21.91 | 2.67 | 50 |
| Kentucky | 0.19 | 4.71 | 0.33 | 14.63 | 2.04 | 46 |
| Mississippi | 0.22 | 0.64 | 0.20 | 15.24 | 2.00 | 41 |
| Arizona | 0.12 | 1.08 | 0.44 | 18.98 | 2.70 | 40 |
| Missouri | 0.16 | 2.19 | 0.63 | 14.75 | 2.10 | 40 |
| South Carolina | 0.12 | 0.90 | 0.56 | 23.07 | 1.37 | 38 |
| Oklahoma | 0.12 | 2.31 | 0.66 | 16.00 | 2.15 | 37 |
You can access the full study findings by following this link.
New Mexico ranks first among the states with the most reckless drivers with a score of 100. The state stands out with very high fatal crash rates from alcohol impairment at 17.17 per 100K drivers and distracted driving, which account for a significant portion of fatal crashes. In fact, New Mexico sees 1 in 10 drivers involved in fatal crashes due to distractions.
Louisiana comes in second with a score of 72.34. Alcohol-related fatal crashes in Louisiana are almost as high as those in New Mexico, reaching 17.23. Still, about 1 in 12 drivers in Louisiana are involved in crashes tied to reckless behavior.
Tennessee is the third state with the most reckless drivers with a score of 51.58. While alcohol-related fatal crashes remain high at 16.12, Tennessee’s distracted driving rate of 1.26 is much lower than Louisiana’s, signaling a difference in how reckless driving affects the state.
Texas comes in fourth with a score of 50.85. Texas has the highest alcohol-related fatal crash rate of any state, hitting 21.91. Its speeding crash rate is just 0.74, much lower than Louisiana’s 2.97, showing a difference in how different states contribute to reckless driving.
Kentucky ranks fifth with a score of 46.91. Kentucky’s fatal crash rates from speeding are among the lowest of the top five states at 0.33 per 100K drivers, while alcohol impairment crashes are still high at 14.63 per 100K drivers.
Mississippi ranks sixth with a score of 41.29. While its fatal crashes from distracted driving and speeding are lower than those of states like New Mexico, the state’s alcohol-related fatalities remain high. Mississippi has about 1 in 20 drivers involved in alcohol-related fatal crashes.
Arizona comes in seventh with a score of 40.92. Arizona faces alcohol-related crashes similar to Louisiana and New Mexico, and it also struggles with a high number of hit-and-run fatalities. Around 1 in 25 drivers in Arizona are involved in crashes caused by these reckless behaviors.
Missouri ranks eighth with a score of 40.38. Missouri faces a similar situation to Arizona, with a high number of alcohol-related fatalities but a slightly lower rate of hit-and-run crashes. Around 1 in 30 drivers in Missouri is involved in fatal crashes from alcohol.
South Carolina comes in ninth with a score of 38.06. South Carolina has the highest alcohol-related fatal crash rate in the entire ranking, at 23.07 per 100K drivers. Despite this, its distracted driving rate is lower than most states in the top 10.
Oklahoma rounds out the top ten with a score of 37.74. Like South Carolina, Oklahoma faces high alcohol-related fatalities, but its distracted driving rate is relatively low. About 1 in 30 drivers in Oklahoma is involved in a fatal crash tied to reckless behavior.
Clayton Hasbrook from Hasbrook & Hasbrook Personal Injury Lawyers commented on the study: “Reckless driving is rarely about a single risky behavior. It’s the combination of factors like speeding, alcohol impairment, and distraction that create the most dangerous conditions on the road. Areas with high alcohol-related crashes face a pressing need for stronger traffic safety laws and more rigorous enforcement. The impact of distracted driving, when paired with alcohol, compounds the risks and significantly increases the likelihood of fatal crashes. Addressing these interconnected issues is key to reducing road fatalities and improving overall public safety.”