Auto Insurance
Southern States Drive List of Most Dangerous Commutes
Commuting is necessary for many U.S. workers, but it can be hazardous. The latest ValuePenguin study found an estimated 20.38 fatalities per every 100,000 workers who regularly commuted by car, van or truck during traditional rush hours in the U.S. between 2017 and 2019.
Rush hour can be particularly dangerous for commuters, ValuePenguin auto insurance expert Divya Sangameshwar says.
"The number of vehicles on the road is highest, and drivers may share the road with more pedestrians and cyclists," she says. Research published in 2021 in the Accident Analysis & Prevention peer-reviewed journal found that rush-hour driving increases your risk of a fatal crash injury by 28%. Here’s what else we learned about rush-hour travel.
On this page
- Key findings
- Between 2017 and 2019, there were an estimated 20.38 fatalities per 100,000 rush-hour commuters across the U.S.
- Mississippi ranked highest for commuter fatality rates — here’s which states followed
- Massachusetts, New York and Hawaii had the lowest commuter fatality rates
- Which counties and roads had the highest commuter fatality rates?
- Insurance and roadway fatalities: What to know
- Methodology
Key findings
- ValuePenguin researchers estimated there were 20.38 fatalities per every 100,000 workers who regularly commuted by car, van or truck (including carpoolers) during traditional rush hours in the U.S. between 2017 and 2019. However, those rates varied widely by state, county and roadway.
- Mississippians suffered an estimated 63.03 vehicle occupant fatalities per 100,000 rush-hour vehicle commuters from 2017 through 2019 — the most across the U.S. Kentucky and Oklahoma ranked second and third at an estimated 45.36 and 43.74 deaths, respectively. A fourth Southern state — South Carolina — was the only other to pass the 40-deaths-per-100,000-commuter mark at 41.08.
- Massachusetts, New York and Hawaii had the lowest commuter fatality rates. For every 100,000 workers commuting by car, van or truck during traditional rush hours, there were 7.40 vehicle occupant fatalities between 2017 and 2019 in Massachusetts, 7.75 in New York and 7.76 in Hawaii.
- Among counties where at least 50,000 residents commute to work via car, van or truck during rush hour, Weld County, Colo., had the highest fatality rate per 50,000 such commuters at 28.12. Midland and Jefferson counties in Texas followed with 27.27 and 24.39 deaths per 50,000 commuters, respectively.
- Researchers found that the most dangerous roadway among counties with at least 50,000 rush-hour vehicle commuters was Interstate 10 in Jefferson County, Texas, at 8.41 vehicle occupant deaths per 50,000 commuters in the studied period. State Highway 158 in Midland County, Texas, and U.S. Route 41 in Sarasota County, Fla., followed at 6.36 and 5.84, respectively.
What’s considered rush hour?
For this study, ValuePenguin researchers estimated the number of rush-hour vehicular commuters per county and state using the U.S. Census Bureau 2019 American Community Survey with five-year estimates. We assumed workers who left for work during traditional morning commuting hours (6 a.m. through 8:59 a.m.) returned during traditional evening commuting hours (4 p.m. through 6:59 p.m.).
We note that many commuters work in different counties from where they reside and don’t purport to estimate the total number of commuters in a given county or state during these hours.
Between 2017 and 2019, there were an estimated 20.38 fatalities per 100,000 rush-hour commuters across the U.S.
Commutes can be more than tedious for workers — they can pose dangers beyond traffic congestion. In fact, we estimated there were 20.38 fatalities per every 100,000 workers who regularly commuted by car, van or truck (including carpoolers) during traditional rush hours in the U.S. between 2017 and 2019.
This comes as more commuters hit the road again as threats from the COVID-19 pandemic lessen. According to Sangameshwar, this 2017-to-2019 data may more accurately reflect what commuters should expect after the brief spike in fatalities during 2020 — despite many Americans still working from home.
"As COVID-19 swept across the country, there were fewer drivers on the roads and a huge drop in the number of miles driven," she says. "However, traffic fatalities surged to their highest level in over a decade during the pandemic — particularly crashes involving impairment, speeding, red-light running, aggressiveness and a lack of seat belts."
Even though most drivers reduced their travel during the pandemic, according to an AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety report, a small portion increased their driving — and they were mostly high-risk drivers.
"As commuters head back to the office in 2023, they still need to be cautious on the road, especially with more Americans opting to drive over taking public transit," Sangameshwar says. "The rise in the number of vehicles on the roads will put commuters at more risk. Americans driving to work should be ready for longer commutes and watch out for aggressive and risky drivers."
Mississippi ranked highest for commuter fatality rates — here’s which states followed
By state, Mississippi had the highest commuter fatality rate at an estimated 63.03 vehicle occupant fatalities per 100,000 rush-hour vehicle commuters from 2017 through 2019.
Mississippi’s place at the top of the list could boil down to unsafe roadway habits. Between 2017 and 2019, the seat belt usage rate in Mississippi ranged from 78.8% to 80.5%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Comparatively, the national seat belt rate in this period was 89.7% in 2017, 89.6% in 2018 and 90.7% in 2019. According to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, 50% of motor vehicle fatalities in Mississippi occurred because the occupant wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
States with the highest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | State | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 775,833 | 199 | 290 | 489 | 63.03 |
| 2 | Kentucky | 1,175,108 | 205 | 328 | 533 | 45.36 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 1,127,230 | 195 | 298 | 493 | 43.74 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 1,443,675 | 229 | 364 | 593 | 41.08 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 1,871,151 | 239 | 475 | 714 | 38.16 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only.
Kentucky and Oklahoma commuters had the second- and third-highest fatality rates per 100,000 commuters at 45.36 and 43.74, respectively.
Similarly, Kentucky and Oklahoma had low seat belt usage rates between 2017 and 2019. In Kentucky, that rate ranged from 86.8% in 2017 to 89.9% in 2018 (the figure dipped to 89.7% in 2019). Unlike most states, seat belt usage declined in Oklahoma, from 86.9% in 2017 to 85.6% in 2018 to 84.7% in 2019. It’s also worth noting that Kentucky had the second-highest number of distracted driving deaths per 10 billion miles between 2015 and 2019, according to another ValuePenguin study.
South Carolina was the only other state to pass the 40-deaths-per-100,000-commuter mark, at 41.08. According to a ValuePenguin statistics page on drunk driving, South Carolina ranks in the top 10 with deaths from alcohol-impaired driving accounting for 38% of statewide traffic deaths. This could include drivers going to happy hours before heading home for the evening.
Massachusetts, New York and Hawaii had the lowest commuter fatality rates
On the other hand, Massachusetts had the lowest number of vehicle occupant fatalities per 100,000 commuters at 7.40. One factor here could be that Massachusetts consistently has the lowest traffic fatality rate of any state, including 0.51 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 2019, 0.54 in 2018 and 0.56 in 2017.
States with the lowest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | State | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 2,310,134 | 63 | 108 | 171 | 7.40 |
| 2 | New York | 5,958,157 | 171 | 291 | 462 | 7.75 |
| 3 | Hawaii | 399,612 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 7.76 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 337,245 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 8.01 |
| 5 | New Jersey | 2,886,922 | 91 | 161 | 252 | 8.73 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only.
New York and Hawaii had the next lowest fatality rates at 7.75 and 7.76, respectively. Unlike the highest-ranking states, New York and Hawaii had exceptionally high seat belt usage rates in the period analyzed. In New York, seat belt usage ranged from a low of 92.9% in 2018 to a high of 94.2% in 2019 (the rate was 93.4% in 2017). Meanwhile, seat belt usage in Hawaii ranged from 96.9% in 2017 to 97.8% in 2018 (2019 saw a dip to 97.1%).
Full rankings: States with the highest/lowest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | State | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 775,833 | 199 | 290 | 489 | 63.03 |
| 2 | Kentucky | 1,175,108 | 205 | 328 | 533 | 45.36 |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 1,127,230 | 195 | 298 | 493 | 43.74 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 1,443,675 | 229 | 364 | 593 | 41.08 |
| 5 | Tennessee | 1,871,151 | 239 | 475 | 714 | 38.16 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 578,878 | 90 | 128 | 218 | 37.66 |
| 7 | Alabama | 1,283,381 | 201 | 272 | 473 | 36.86 |
| 8 | Arkansas | 830,022 | 104 | 182 | 286 | 34.46 |
| 9 | Wyoming | 180,127 | 16 | 46 | 62 | 34.42 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 1,253,012 | 179 | 250 | 429 | 34.24 |
| 11 | West Virginia | 439,831 | 46 | 99 | 145 | 32.97 |
| 12 | Montana | 341,708 | 44 | 68 | 112 | 32.78 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only.
Which counties and roads had the highest commuter fatality rates?
At a more granular level, we looked at fatalities among counties where at least 50,000 residents commute to work via car, van or truck during rush hour. Of these counties, Weld County, Colo., had the highest fatality rate at 28.12 fatalities per 50,000 commuters between 2017 and 2019.
Two Texas counties — Midland and Jefferson — followed at 27.27 and 24.39, respectively.
Within the top five counties, four are deemed rural, according to the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) — which could account for the high rate of fatalities here. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, fatality rates for all rural counties are 50% higher than metropolitan counties.
Counties with the highest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | County | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 50,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weld County, CO | 80,011 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 28.12 |
| 2 | Midland County, TX | 54,998 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 27.27 |
| 3 | Jefferson County, TX | 59,445 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 24.39 |
| 4 | Spartanburg County, SC | 80,118 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 23.09 |
| 5 | Marion County, FL | 69,949 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 22.87 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only.
Diving in to take an even deeper look by roadway, we found that Interstate 10 in Jefferson County, Texas, was the most dangerous roadway among counties with at least 50,000 rush-hour vehicle commuters. On Interstate 10, there were 8.41 vehicle occupant deaths per 50,000 commuters during the rush hours of 2017 through 2019.
Following that, state Highway 158 in Midland County, Texas (6.36), and U.S. Route 41 in Sarasota County, Fla. (5.84), had the next highest rates of commuter fatalities in that period.
Roadways with the highest rush-hour commuter fatality rates rate, 2017 to 2019
Rank | Roadway | County | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 50,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 | Jefferson County, TX | 59,445 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 8.41 |
| 2 | SR-158 | Midland County, TX | 54,998 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6.36 |
| 3 | US-41 | Sarasota County, FL | 94,125 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 5.84 |
| 4 | US-63 | Boone County, MO | 53,617 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5.60 |
| 5 | SR-359 | Webb County, TX | 63,249 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5.53 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only. Roadways are labeled based on FARS designations.
Full rankings: Counties with the highest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | County | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 50,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Weld County, CO | 80,011 | 22 | 23 | 45 | 28.12 |
| 2 | Midland County, TX | 54,998 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 27.27 |
| 3 | Jefferson County, TX | 59,445 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 24.39 |
| 4 | Spartanburg County, SC | 80,118 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 23.09 |
| 5 | Marion County, FL | 69,949 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 22.87 |
| 6 | Berks County, PA | 103,140 | 18 | 29 | 47 | 22.78 |
| 7 | Jefferson County, MO | 63,062 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 22.20 |
| 8 | Anderson County, SC | 52,071 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 22.09 |
| 9 | Volusia County, FL | 123,473 | 19 | 35 | 54 | 21.87 |
| 10 | Hinds County, MS | 62,079 | 6 | 21 | 27 | 21.75 |
| 11 | Manatee County, FL | 88,770 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 21.40 |
| 12 | Washington County, PA | 54,756 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 21.00 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only.
Full rankings: Roadways with the highest rush-hour commuter fatality rates, 2017 to 2019
Rank | Roadway | County | Residents who commute by vehicle between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 6 and 9 a.m. | Commuter fatalities between 4 and 7 p.m. | Total fatalities | Fatalities per 50,000 commuters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I-10 | Jefferson County, TX | 59,445 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 8.41 |
| 2 | SR-158 | Midland County, TX | 54,998 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6.36 |
| 3 | US-41 | Sarasota County, FL | 94,125 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 5.84 |
| 4 | US-63 | Boone County, MO | 53,617 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5.60 |
| 5 | SR-359 | Webb County, TX | 63,249 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5.53 |
| 6 | SR-349 | Midland County, TX | 54,998 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5.45 |
| 7 | I-35 | McLennan County, TX | 66,808 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 5.24 |
| 8 | US-85 | Weld County, CO | 80,011 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 5.00 |
| 9 | US-40 | Hendricks County, IN | 51,664 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4.84 |
| 10 | SR-18 | Hinds County, MS | 62,079 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4.83 |
| 11 | SR-1 | Santa Cruz County, CA | 62,678 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4.79 |
| 11 | SR-99 | Lane County, OR | 83,460 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4.79 |
Source: ValuePenguin analysis of NHTSA FARS and ACS data. Note: Commuter fatalities are vehicle occupants only. Roadways are labeled based on FARS designations.
Insurance and roadway fatalities: What to know
While it can be scary to think about dying in a car crash, Sangameshwar says it’s important to review your insurance coverage and have a plan to make sure your family is protected if the unthinkable happens. Here’s what you should prioritize:
- Check for uninsured motorist coverage (UIM) in your auto insurance policy. The auto insurance company of the driver at fault will be responsible for paying the 'full value' of the life lost in the crash, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll have the money to do so — particularly if the at-fault driver is uninsured. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, though, your insurance company could step in.
- Review your life insurance coverage. "Fatal car crashes are covered by life insurance if they are ‘all cause,’ meaning it generally covers all deaths with few exceptions," Sangameshwar says. "If your life insurance policy doesn’t offer this, look into accidental death and dismemberment (or AD&D) policies. These will provide financial protection if you or a loved one is accidentally killed in a fatal car crash."
- Research and identify an experienced attorney ahead of time. Insurers sometimes dispute who is responsible for the crash and can deny your claim. An experienced attorney can take the battle to court to get your insurance company to pay. To ensure they’re protected if they’re found responsible for an accident, drivers should make sure they have enough liability coverage.
Methodology
ValuePenguin analysts used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) and the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) to estimate the rate of vehicle occupant fatalities of commuters at the national, state, county and roadway levels. While some roadways have differing formal names, they’re labeled based on FARS designations.
National and state rates were per 100,000 estimated commuters, while county and roadway rates were per 50,000. Only counties with an estimated 50,000 residents who left for work via personal vehicle (including carpool) between 6 a.m. and 8:59 a.m. were included in our rankings of counties and roadways.
Fatalities were limited to vehicle occupants killed in accidents that occurred during 2017, 2018 and 2019 on Mondays through Fridays (excluding federal holidays and the Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks) and during the hours of 6 a.m. through 8:59 a.m. and 4 p.m. and 6:59 p.m.
The number of rush-hour vehicular commuters per county and state was estimated using the 2019 ACS with five-year estimates. We assumed workers who leave for work during traditional morning commuting hours (6 a.m. through 8:59 a.m.) return during traditional evening commuting hours (4 p.m. through 6:59 p.m.).
We note that many commuters work in different counties from where they reside and don’t purport to estimate the total number of commuters in a given county or state during these hours.
