New Mexico has the nation’s riskiest drivers, ranking first in a nationwide analysis of fatal-crash data covering alcohol impairment, distracted driving, speeding, hit-and-run incidents, and uninsured motorists. Oklahoma ranked 10th out of the states studied. Reckless driving is a specific offense under Oklahoma law, 47 O.S. § 11-901, and it can support a personal injury claim after a crash.
U.S. traffic fatalities fell 3.8% to roughly 39,000 in the most recent year reported, the lowest total since 2020, but reckless driving still drives a disproportionate share of fatal crashes. To find the states with the most reckless drivers, Hasbrook & Hasbrook Personal Injury Lawyers analyzed fatal-crash data from official transportation and safety databases, focusing on distracted driving, speeding, alcohol impairment, hit-and-run incidents and uninsured drivers, then normalized the rates per 100,000 drivers into a composite score for each state.
Key Findings
- New Mexico has the highest reckless driving risk, with roughly 1 in 10 drivers involved in fatal crashes tied to alcohol impairment or distracted driving.
- Texas has one of the highest alcohol-related fatal crash rates in the ranking, with about 1 in 5 drivers involved in crashes where alcohol was a factor.
- Arizona has a particularly high rate of hit-and-run fatal crashes, with about 1 in 25 drivers involved in crashes where the driver fled the scene.
Reckless Driving Statistics: Full State Rankings
| State | Uninsured Rate | Distracted (per 100K) | Speeding (per 100K) | Alcohol (per 100K) | Hit-and-Run (per 100K) | 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 data.
State-by-State Breakdown
New Mexico ranks first with a composite score of 100, posting the nation’s highest distracted-driving fatal crash rate (10.08 per 100,000 drivers) and a high alcohol-impairment rate of 17.17.
Louisiana ranks second with a score of 72. Its alcohol-related fatal crash rate, 17.23 per 100,000 drivers, is nearly identical to New Mexico’s.
Tennessee ranks third with a score of 51. Alcohol-related crashes remain high at 16.12, but its distracted-driving rate of 1.26 is far lower than Louisiana’s.
Texas ranks fourth with a score of 50, posting one of the highest alcohol-related fatal crash rates in the ranking at 21.91 per 100,000 drivers.
Kentucky ranks fifth with a score of 46. Its speeding-related crash rate of 0.33 is among the lowest of the top five states, while alcohol-impairment crashes remain elevated at 14.63.
Mississippi ranks sixth with a score of 41. Distracted-driving and speeding rates are comparatively low, but alcohol-related fatalities remain a significant factor at 15.24 per 100,000 drivers.
Arizona ranks seventh with a score of 40. Alcohol-related crashes are comparable to Louisiana and New Mexico, and Arizona also has a high hit-and-run rate, about 1 in 25 fatal crashes.
Missouri ranks eighth, tied with Arizona at a score of 40, sharing a similarly high alcohol-related fatality rate but a slightly lower hit-and-run rate.
South Carolina ranks ninth with a score of 38 and has the highest alcohol-related fatal crash rate in the entire ranking, 23.07 per 100,000 drivers.
Oklahoma rounds out the top ten with a score of 37. Its alcohol-related fatal crash rate of 16.00 keeps it among the nation’s most dangerous states for reckless driving. For a closer look at where these crashes cluster inside the state, see Oklahoma’s most dangerous cities for drivers.
What Reckless Driving Means Under Oklahoma Law
Reckless driving is a specific offense under Oklahoma law, 47 O.S. § 11-901, and a conviction can add points to a driver’s license under Oklahoma’s driver’s-license points system. The statute covers more than drunk driving; see what specifically counts as reckless driving under Oklahoma law for how the elements are defined.
Uninsured drivers, one of the five factors behind these rankings, matter after a crash too: Oklahoma requires uninsured motorist coverage under 36 O.S. § 3636, so a driver hit by someone with no insurance may still have a path to compensation. Learn more about when the other driver has no insurance or not enough coverage. National data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows drunk driving remains a leading cause of fatal crashes, and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s public crash-data tool and SAMHSA’s national survey data track the patterns behind many of these crashes.
Clayton Hasbrook, an attorney with Hasbrook & Hasbrook in Oklahoma City, 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.”
