Auto Insurance
Florida Counties Frequently Top List as Most Dangerous Places for Commuters
Florida Counties Frequently Top List as Most Dangerous Places for Commuters
Hillsborough County in Florida is the nation's most dangerous large county for fatalities per 100,000 commuters, with Interstate 75 leading the way as the spot in the county with the most fatalities.
Commuters in traffic. Source: Getty Images
Nearly 9,700 people died on the road during commuting hours in the year before the coronavirus pandemic reduced travel. In 2019 — the latest year of available data — there were 9,657 fatalities during weekday hours between 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. or 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The most dangerous large county (with a population of at least 500,000) was Hillsborough County, Fla., with 9.2 deaths per 100,000 commuters.
Other Florida counties also saw higher-than-average fatality rates among commuters. Of the 15 large counties with fatality rates equal to or higher than the average (4.8 deaths per 100,000), a third were in Florida. Texas, which had 27% of the high-fatality large counties, appeared most frequently behind Florida.
Mississippi was the most dangerous state for commuters, with 16.3 deaths per 100,000 commuters. In raw figures, Texas had the most commuting deaths — 939 — amounting to 7.9 per 100,000 — far ahead of Mississippi, which ranked 20th.
- Key findings of ValuePenguin's study of Florida traffic fatalities during commuting hours
- Hillsborough County is the nation's deadliest large county for commuters, and other large and midsize counties in Florida have higher-than-average fatality rates
- Los Angeles County has the most commuting-hour fatalities of any county in the country
- Mississippi has the highest fatality rate during commutes of any state
- The worst day of the week for commuting traffic deaths is Friday
Key findings of ValuePenguin's study of traffic fatalities during commuting hours
- Hillsborough County in Florida was the nation's deadliest large county for fatalities per 100,000 commuters. There were 9.2 deaths for every 100,000 commuters during 2019, based on the latest available data. The most dangerous roadway for commuters in Hillsborough County was Interstate 75.
- Besides Hillsborough, large counties in Florida were most likely to report more deaths at peak commuting times than the average in large counties across all states. Additionally, more midsize counties in Florida had higher-than-average fatalities per 100,000 commuters than any other state.
- Los Angeles County, Calif.; Maricopa County, Ariz.; and Harris County, Texas, posted the highest raw numbers of commuter fatalities. While each of these counties had more than 100 commute-time fatalities in 2019, the death rate in Los Angeles County (4.0 per 100,000) was lower than average (4.8 per 100,000 in large counties).
- The most dangerous state for commuters was Mississippi, with 16.3 fatalities per 100,000 commuters during peak travel hours. Wyoming (15.6) came in second, but alcohol was more frequently a factor in fatal crashes in the state than in Mississippi.
Hillsborough County is the nation's deadliest large county for commuters, and other large and midsize counties in Florida commonly have higher-than-average fatality rates
The average number of fatalities during commuting hours — between 6-11 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. on weekdays — in large counties was 4.8 per 100,000 commuters. ValuePenguin found 15 large counties where the death rate equaled or exceeded this average. At the top was Hillsborough County in Florida.
Hillsborough County averaged 9.2 fatalities per 100,000 commuters, the highest of any large county. The highest number of deaths on a Hillsborough County roadway occurred on Interstate 75.
Rank | County and state | Fatalities per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsborough County, Florida | 9.2 |
| 2 | San Bernardino County, California | 8.4 |
| 3 | Maricopa County, Arizona | 6.5 |
| 4 | Riverside County, California | 6.3 |
| 5 | Orange County, Florida | 6.2 |
| 6 | Sacramento County, California | 6.2 |
| 7 | Clark County, Nevada | 6.0 |
| 8 | Wayne County, Michigan | 5.8 |
| 9 | Dallas County, Texas | 5.7 |
| 10 | Palm Beach County, Florida | 5.6 |
| 11 | Miami-Dade County, Florida | 5.5 |
| 12 | Harris County, Texas | 5.1 |
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The places displayed in this table have fatality per-commuter ratios equal to or higher than the average among large counties; the data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.
Counties in Florida were also the most likely to lead midsize counties (100,000 to 499,999 commuters) in death rates. In 95 midsize counties with higher than average death rates (5.4 deaths per 100,000 commuters is the average across midsize counties), Florida counties appeared 17 times, more often than any other state's counties. Counties in Texas cropped up 42 times among the 541 small counties where the death rate was greater than the average across small counties (10.6).
Conversely, Hennepin County, Minn. was the safest of the nation's largest counties with at least one commuter fatality, at 2.5 deaths per 100,000 commuters. No large county had zero deaths. Records for Suffolk County, Mass. showed the area was the safest midsize county where at least one death occurred in 2019, with 0.5 deaths per 100,000 commuters.
How serious car crashes affect auto insurance: A driver involved in a serious car crash will see their auto insurance premiums go up if they were at fault. ValuePenguin found that the cost of car insurance increases by an average of 46% after a serious — though not necessarily fatal — accident. Drivers with multiple crashes on their records may have even more trouble getting affordable rates for auto insurance — and some insurers may deny them coverage altogether.
The most dangerous large counties for commuters
ValuePenguin researchers ranked all large counties by deaths per 100,000 commuters. The rankings for the 25 most dangerous midsize and small counties are further down.
Rank | County and state | Fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsborough County, Florida | 56 | 9.2 |
| 2 | San Bernardino County, California | 69 | 8.4 |
| 3 | Maricopa County, Arizona | 116 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Riverside County, California | 57 | 6.3 |
| 5 | Orange County, Florida | 37 | 6.2 |
| 6 | Sacramento County, California | 37 | 6.2 |
| 7 | Clark County, Nevada | 54 | 6.0 |
| 8 | Wayne County, Michigan | 38 | 5.8 |
| 9 | Dallas County, Texas | 66 | 5.7 |
| 10 | Palm Beach County, Florida | 33 | 5.6 |
| 11 | Miami-Dade County, Florida | 61 | 5.5 |
| 12 | Harris County, Texas | 101 | 5.1 |
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The data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.
{"backgroundColor":"white","content":"\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe average number of fatalities during commuting hours \u2014 between 6-11 a.m. and 4-8 p.m. on weekdays \u2014 in large counties was 4.8 per 100,000 commuters. ValuePenguin found 15 large counties where the death rate equaled or exceeded this average. At the top was Hillsborough County in Florida.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodePullquote--root\"\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\"ShortcodePullquote--text ShortcodePullquote--blue\"\u003E\n \nHillsborough County averaged 9.2 fatalities per 100,000 commuters, the highest of any large county. The highest number of deaths on a Hillsborough County roadway occurred on Interstate 75.\n\n \u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ReactComponent--root\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"js-react-component-rendered js-react-component-SortableTable\" data-component-name=\"SortableTable\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"StyledRootWrapper-sc-3qeib4 jYHfZo\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableWrapper-sc-5nmmx9 fesmOM\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableOverflowWrapper-sc-hixhp9 gVbnK\"\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"StyledTable-sc-ujzn9t jVpJxq\"\u003E\u003Cthead class=\"StyledHeaderRow-sc-1m1b8dn hCELBb\"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r gPTwhA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERank\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r glLrYA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECounty and state\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r glLrYA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFatalities per 100,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody class=\"StyledBody-sc-14y8oc0 dcdMVT\"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EHillsborough County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E9.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003ESan Bernardino County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E8.4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EMaricopa County, Arizona\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003ERiverside County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EOrange County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003ESacramento County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EClark County, Nevada\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.0\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EWayne County, Michigan\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EDallas County, Texas\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EPalm Beach County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E11\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EMiami-Dade County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E12\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003EHarris County, Texas\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv role=\"button\" class=\"StyledExpander-sc-1gnrutu gvWduk\"\u003EShow All Rows\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp class=\"SortableTable--footnote\"\u003EThe places displayed in this table have fatality per-commuter ratios equal to or higher than the average among large counties; the data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cscript type=\"application\/json\" class=\"js-react-component\" 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average among large counties; the data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.\",\"hideHeaderRow\":false,\"hasMarginBottom\":true,\"isExpandable\":true,\"isSortable\":false,\"maxWidth\":\"1215\",\"minWidth\":\"100%\",\"showSearch\":false,\"sortColumnIndex\":0,\"sortDirection\":\"asc\"}\u003C\/script\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ECounties in \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"Most Expensive Cities for Car Insurance in FL\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valuepenguin.com\/cheap-car-insurance-florida-study\"\u003EFlorida\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E were also the most likely to lead midsize counties (100,000 to 499,999 commuters) in death rates. In 95 midsize counties with higher than average death rates (5.4 deaths per 100,000 commuters is the average across midsize counties), Florida counties appeared 17 times, more often than any other state's counties. Counties in Texas cropped up 42 times among the 541 small counties where the death rate was greater than the average across small counties (10.6).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EConversely, Hennepin County, Minn. was the safest of the nation's largest counties with at least one commuter fatality, at 2.5 deaths per 100,000 commuters. No large county had zero deaths. Records for Suffolk County, Mass. showed the area was the safest midsize county where at least one death occurred in 2019, with 0.5 deaths per 100,000 commuters.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ShortcodeBorder--root ShortcodeBorder--with-padding\"\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow serious car crashes affect auto insurance\u003C\/strong\u003E: A driver involved in a serious car crash will see their \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"How Accidents Affect Auto Insurance Rates\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valuepenguin.com\/how-does-accident-affect-my-car-insurance-rates\"\u003Eauto insurance premiums go up\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E if they were at fault. ValuePenguin found that the cost of car insurance increases by an average of 46% after a serious \u2014 though not necessarily fatal \u2014 accident. Drivers with multiple crashes on their records may have even more trouble getting \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"Cheapest Car Insurance Companies\" href=\"https:\/\/www.valuepenguin.com\/best-cheap-car-insurance\"\u003Eaffordable rates for auto insurance\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E \u2014 and some insurers may deny them coverage altogether.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Ch4\u003EThe most dangerous large counties for commuters\u003C\/h4\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EValuePenguin researchers ranked all large counties by deaths per 100,000 commuters. The rankings for the 25 most dangerous \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"midsize\" href=\"#midsize\"\u003Emidsize\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E and \u003Cspan\u003E\u003Ca class=\"ShortcodeLink--root ShortcodeLink--black\" title=\"small\" href=\"#small\"\u003Esmall\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E counties are further down.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ReactComponent--root\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"js-react-component-rendered js-react-component-SortableTable\" data-component-name=\"SortableTable\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"StyledRootWrapper-sc-3qeib4 jYHfZo\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableWrapper-sc-5nmmx9 fesmOM\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableOverflowWrapper-sc-hixhp9 gVbnK\"\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"StyledTable-sc-ujzn9t jVpJxq\"\u003E\u003Cthead class=\"StyledHeaderRow-sc-1m1b8dn hCELBb\"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r gPTwhA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERank\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r gPTwhA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ECounty and state\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r gPTwhA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFatalities\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r glLrYA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFatalities per 100,000\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/thead\u003E\u003Ctbody class=\"StyledBody-sc-14y8oc0 dcdMVT\"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EHillsborough County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E56\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E9.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003ESan Bernardino County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E69\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E8.4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EMaricopa County, Arizona\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E116\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003ERiverside County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E57\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.3\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EOrange County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E37\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003ESacramento County, California\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E37\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.2\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EClark County, Nevada\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E54\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E6.0\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EWayne County, Michigan\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E38\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EDallas County, Texas\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E66\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EPalm Beach County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E33\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E11\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EMiami-Dade County, Florida\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E61\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E12\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EHarris County, Texas\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E101\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E5.1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv role=\"button\" class=\"StyledExpander-sc-1gnrutu gvWduk\"\u003EShow All Rows\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp class=\"SortableTable--footnote\"\u003EThe data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cscript type=\"application\/json\" class=\"js-react-component\" data-component-name=\"SortableTable\"\u003E{\"alignsHorizontal\":[\"left\",\"left\",\"left\",\"right\"],\"alignsVertical\":[],\"columnWidths\":[],\"data\":[[\"Rank\",\"County and state\",\"Fatalities\",\"Fatalities per 100,000\"],[\"1\",\"Hillsborough County, Florida\",\"56\",\"9.2\"],[\"2\",\"San Bernardino County, California\",\"69\",\"8.4\"],[\"3\",\"Maricopa County, Arizona\",\"116\",\"6.5\"],[\"4\",\"Riverside County, California\",\"57\",\"6.3\"],[\"5\",\"Orange County, Florida\",\"37\",\"6.2\"],[\"6\",\"Sacramento County, California\",\"37\",\"6.2\"],[\"7\",\"Clark County, Nevada\",\"54\",\"6.0\"],[\"8\",\"Wayne County, Michigan\",\"38\",\"5.8\"],[\"9\",\"Dallas County, Texas\",\"66\",\"5.7\"],[\"10\",\"Palm Beach County, Florida\",\"33\",\"5.6\"],[\"11\",\"Miami-Dade County, Florida\",\"61\",\"5.5\"],[\"12\",\"Harris County, Texas\",\"101\",\"5.1\"],[\"13\",\"Bexar County, Texas\",\"40\",\"4.9\"],[\"14\",\"Travis County, Texas\",\"27\",\"4.8\"],[\"15\",\"Broward County, Florida\",\"40\",\"4.8\"],[\"16\",\"San Diego County, California\",\"65\",\"4.7\"],[\"17\",\"King County, Washington\",\"38\",\"4.5\"],[\"18\",\"Alameda County, California\",\"23\",\"4.2\"],[\"19\",\"Los Angeles County, California\",\"160\",\"4.0\"],[\"20\",\"Cook County, Illinois\",\"68\",\"3.9\"],[\"21\",\"Santa Clara County, California\",\"31\",\"3.8\"],[\"22\",\"Suffolk County, New York\",\"24\",\"3.7\"],[\"23\",\"Salt Lake County, Utah\",\"18\",\"3.6\"],[\"24\",\"Franklin County, Ohio\",\"21\",\"3.6\"],[\"25\",\"Nassau County, New York\",\"18\",\"3.5\"],[\"26\",\"Tarrant County, Texas\",\"32\",\"3.5\"],[\"27\",\"Cuyahoga County, Ohio\",\"15\",\"3.0\"],[\"28\",\"Oakland County, Michigan\",\"17\",\"2.9\"],[\"29\",\"Orange County, California\",\"39\",\"2.8\"],[\"30\",\"Middlesex County, Massachusetts\",\"17\",\"2.6\"],[\"31\",\"Hennepin County, Minnesota\",\"14\",\"2.5\"]],\"footnote\":\"The data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.\",\"hideHeaderRow\":false,\"hasMarginBottom\":true,\"isExpandable\":true,\"isSortable\":false,\"maxWidth\":\"1215\",\"minWidth\":\"100%\",\"showSearch\":false,\"sortColumnIndex\":0,\"sortDirection\":\"asc\"}\u003C\/script\u003E\n\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E","padding":"double"}
Although Los Angeles County has the most commuting-hour fatalities of any county in the country, the death rate is lower than the average for large counties
Los Angeles County recorded 160 fatalities during commuting hours in 2019, the most deaths of any county regardless of size. Out of just three counties with at least 100 deaths, it's the only one where the fatality rate was lower than the average for large counties.
Maricopa County (116) in Arizona and Harris County (101) in Texas also had more than 100 fatalities, though the death rate in these counties was greater than the average for large counties.
Fresno County, Calif. had the highest number of fatalities (43) during commuting hours of any midsize county. In fact, Fresno County had more fatalities than various much larger counties, including Bexar County, Texas; Broward County, Fla.; Wayne County, Mich.; Orange County, Fla.; Sacramento County, Calif.; Palm Beach County, Fla.; and Travis County, Texas.
Rank | County and state | Fatalities | Involving alcohol |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County, California | 160 | 14 |
| 2 | Maricopa County, Arizona | 116 | 16 |
| 3 | Harris County, Texas | 101 | 5 |
| 4 | San Bernardino County, California | 69 | 14 |
| 5 | Cook County, Illinois | 68 | 9 |
| 6 | Dallas County, Texas | 66 | 9 |
| 7 | San Diego County, California | 65 | 8 |
| 8 | Miami-Dade County, Florida | 61 | 4 |
| 9 | Riverside County, California | 57 | 8 |
| 10 | Hillsborough County, Florida | 56 | 9 |
| 11 | Clark County, Nevada | 54 | 7 |
| 12 | Bexar County, Texas | 40 | 7 |
Show All Rows
Counties ordered by total fatalities.
Fatalities where alcohol was present represented a small subset of total fatalities at the state level — just 14% of deaths across the country. There were 16 deaths during commuting hours where alcohol was present in Maricopa County, Ariz., the highest number for any large county. However, San Bernardino County, Calif., had the highest fatality rate in large counties where alcohol was present (1.7 per 100,000 vs. 0.9 per 100,000 in Maricopa).
The most deadly roads for commuting are in Maricopa County, Ariz., and Oklahoma County, Okla.
By the number of deaths, one of the most dangerous roads for commuters was Indian School Road in Maricopa County, Ariz. In 2019, there were eight deaths on this road, tied for the most of any single roadway during the weekday hours that ValuePenguin analyzed. There were also eight deaths on U.S. Highway 62 in Oklahoma County, Okla.
By comparison, researchers found there were 6,928 roadways with at least one death in 2019. There were 825 roads with two fatalities, 205 with three and just 105 where between four and eight people were killed.
Mississippi has the highest fatality rate during commutes of any state, and a comparatively high number of fatal crashes with alcohol present
In Mississippi, the rate of fatalities per 100,000 commuters was 16.3, the highest of any state. Mississippi, however, didn’t hold the top spot for deaths. That distinction belonged to Texas (939 fatalities), where the U.S. Census Bureau estimated more than 10 times more commuters traveled in 2019 compared to Mississippi.
The rate of fatal crashes during commuting times where alcohol was present in Mississippi was 2.3 per 100,000. While fatal crashes with alcohol present made up a small percentage of all fatal crashes, the seemingly insignificant rate in Mississippi was actually the fifth-highest in the country. The highest was in Wyoming, with 3.6 fatal crashes with alcohol present per 100,000 commuters. Following Wyoming were Alaska (2.8), Idaho (2.6) and North Dakota (2.5).
Rank | State | Fatalities per 100,000 commuters | Alcohol-related fatalities per 100,000 commuters | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | 16.3 | 2.3 | 188 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 15.6 | 3.6 | 39 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 14.5 | 1.9 | 116 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 13.3 | 2.2 | 276 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 12.8 | 2.0 | 85 |
| 6 | Arkansas | 12.4 | 2.1 | 149 |
| 7 | Alabama | 12.0 | 1.6 | 234 |
| 8 | Kentucky | 11.8 | 1.5 | 211 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 11.8 | 1.7 | 192 |
| 10 | Idaho | 10.9 | 2.6 | 75 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 10.4 | 1.4 | 293 |
| 12 | Georgia | 9.8 | 0.7 | 418 |
Show All Rows
States ordered by fatalities per 100,000 commuters; the data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.
{"backgroundColor":"white","content":"\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Mississippi, the rate of fatalities per 100,000 commuters was 16.3, the highest of any state. Mississippi, however, didn\u2019t hold the top spot for deaths. That distinction belonged to Texas (939 fatalities), where the U.S. Census Bureau estimated more than 10 times more commuters traveled in 2019 compared to Mississippi.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe rate of fatal crashes during commuting times where alcohol was present in Mississippi was 2.3 per 100,000. While fatal crashes with alcohol present made up a small percentage of all fatal crashes, the seemingly insignificant rate in Mississippi was actually the fifth-highest in the country. The highest was in Wyoming, with 3.6 fatal crashes with alcohol present per 100,000 commuters. Following Wyoming were Alaska (2.8), Idaho (2.6) and North Dakota (2.5).\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"ReactComponent--root\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"js-react-component-rendered js-react-component-SortableTable\" data-component-name=\"SortableTable\"\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\"StyledRootWrapper-sc-3qeib4 jYHfZo\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableWrapper-sc-5nmmx9 fesmOM\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledTableOverflowWrapper-sc-hixhp9 gVbnK\"\u003E\u003Ctable class=\"StyledTable-sc-ujzn9t jVpJxq\"\u003E\u003Cthead class=\"StyledHeaderRow-sc-1m1b8dn hCELBb\"\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r gPTwhA\"\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ERank\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/th\u003E\u003Cth colSpan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledHeaderCell-sc-nsptsd frWuiR\"\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\"StyledColumnHeaderWrapper-sc-12xyb2r 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frAYUA\"\u003E85\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EArkansas\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E12.4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E2.1\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E149\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EAlabama\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E12.0\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E1.6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E234\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EKentucky\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E11.8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E1.5\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E211\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EOklahoma\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E11.8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E1.7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E192\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E10\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EIdaho\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E10.9\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E2.6\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E75\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E11\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003ETennessee\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E10.4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E1.4\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E293\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003Ctr\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003E12\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee XfhRD\"\u003EGeorgia\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E9.8\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E0.7\u003C\/td\u003E\u003Ctd colSpan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\" width=\"\" class=\"StyledBodyCell-sc-5cu9ee frAYUA\"\u003E418\u003C\/td\u003E\u003C\/tr\u003E\u003C\/tbody\u003E\u003C\/table\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv role=\"button\" class=\"StyledExpander-sc-1gnrutu gvWduk\"\u003EShow All Rows\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cp class=\"SortableTable--footnote\"\u003EStates ordered by fatalities per 100,000 commuters; the data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cscript type=\"application\/json\" class=\"js-react-component\" data-component-name=\"SortableTable\"\u003E{\"alignsHorizontal\":[\"left\",\"left\",\"right\",\"right\",\"right\"],\"alignsVertical\":[],\"columnWidths\":[],\"data\":[[\"Rank\",\"State\",\"Fatalities per 100,000 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The worst day of the week for commuting traffic deaths is Friday — and evenings are much more dangerous than mornings
Friday was the most dangerous day for commuters. ValuePenguin found that 2,184 commute-time fatalities were on Fridays in 2019 — 23% of all fatalities during commuting hours. Behind Friday, Wednesdays accounted for 20% of fatal commuting crashes. The rest of the days each contributed 19% to the total.
Evenings on Fridays were more dangerous than mornings, with 40% more deaths during evening commuting hours (4-8 p.m.) than morning travel times (6-11 a.m.). Across the week, there were 26% more fatal crashes during evenings than during mornings.
There were also far more people killed in car accidents involving alcohol during commuting hours on Fridays compared to the other days of the week. Twenty-eight percent of the fatalities where alcohol was present took place on Fridays. Eighty-one percent of these types of fatal crashes on Fridays happened in the evening.
Tuesday mornings were the most dangerous time for early-day commutes. Twenty-three percent of fatal crashes in mornings occurred at this time, compared with 22% for Friday mornings. Thirty percent of fatal late-day crashes took place on Friday.
The 25 most dangerous midsize counties for commuters
Rank | County and state | Fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexington County, South Carolina | 23 | 17.8 |
| 2 | Pinal County, Arizona | 23 | 16.6 |
| 3 | Volusia County, Florida | 32 | 16.2 |
| 4 | Weld County, Colorado | 21 | 15.5 |
| 5 | Jefferson County, Missouri | 16 | 15.3 |
| 6 | Spartanburg County, South Carolina | 20 | 15.3 |
| 7 | St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana | 16 | 15.1 |
| 8 | York County, South Carolina | 18 | 15.0 |
| 9 | Alachua County, Florida | 15 | 14.4 |
| 10 | Polk County, Florida | 37 | 14.2 |
| 11 | Osceola County, Florida | 20 | 13.4 |
| 12 | Pasco County, Florida | 25 | 13.1 |
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The data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.
The 25 most dangerous small counties for commuters
Rank | State and county | Fatalities | Fatalities per 100,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnson County, Kansas | 9 | 3.1 |
| 2 | Stark County, Ohio | 5 | 3.1 |
| 3 | Plymouth County, Massachusetts | 7 | 3.1 |
| 4 | Cleveland County, Oklahoma | 4 | 3.1 |
| 5 | Fairfax County, Virginia | 15 | 3.1 |
| 6 | Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | 15 | 3.1 |
| 7 | Honolulu County, Hawaii | 12 | 3.0 |
| 8 | Montgomery County, Pennsylvania | 11 | 3.0 |
| 9 | Chester County, Pennsylvania | 7 | 3.0 |
| 10 | Kane County, Illinois | 7 | 3.0 |
| 11 | Norfolk County, Massachusetts | 8 | 2.9 |
| 12 | Warren County, Ohio | 3 | 2.9 |
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The data is rounded, but the positions reflect non rounded decimals.
Methodology
ValuePenguin analyzed the total number of traffic fatalities during commuting hours as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Researchers broke commuting hours into two periods:
- Morning commute: 6-11 a.m. weekdays
- Evening commute: 4-8 p.m. weekdays
County-level driving commute fatality rates represent the number of commuting traffic fatalities that occurred in 2019 — the latest available data — per 100,000 driving commuters, according to five-year estimates from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.
ValuePenguin broke down counties into the following size classifications:
- Large: Population of 500,000 or greater
- Midsize: Population between 100,000 and 499,999
- Small: Population between 10,000 and 99,999
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