ST. LOUIS — For drivers, Missouri roads are among the most dangerous places you can be in the U.S., according to a new report.
Forbes Advisor compared all 50 states across 13 key metrics, including the number of fatal crashes, car thefts and wildlife collision risk per 100,000 drivers, using data from sources such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the FBI, State Farm and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to determine the top 15 riskiest states to drive in.
The Show Me State came in second place with a risk score of 96.38 out of 100. According to the report, Missouri has the fifth-highest rate of car thefts at about 564 per 100,000 vehicles, the sixth-highest percentage of drivers who experienced a road rage incident in the past 12 months (37%), the 10th-highest number of drunk drivers involved in fatal crashes at about 13 per 100,000 licensed drivers and the 10th-highest likelihood of hitting an animal while driving.
Missouri came next only to Mississippi, which scored a "perfect" 100. The Magnolia State had the highest number of fatal crashes at about 68 per 100,000 licensed drivers, the highest number of people killed in fatal crashes at about 25 per 100,000 residents and the highest percentage of uninsured drivers (about 29%).
Find the top 15 riskiest states to drive in below, according to Forbes Advisor:
- Mississippi, scored 100 out of 100.
- Missouri, scored 96.38 out of 100.
- Kentucky, scored 93.75 out of 100.
- Tennessee, scored 91.69 out of 100.
- Oklahoma, scored 91.09 out of 100.
- South Carolina, scored 89.62 out of 100.
- Arkansas, scored 89.24 out of 100.
- New Mexico, scored 82.60 out of 100.
- Montana, scored 81.09 out of 100.
- Wyoming, scored 73.24 out of 100.
- Alabama, scored 71.57 out of 100.
- West Virginia, scored 70.18 out of 100.
- Texas, scored 70.14 out of 100.
- North Dakota, scored 66.63 out of 100.
- Louisiana, scored 66.55 out of 100.
Across the Mississippi River from the Show Me State, Illinois came in at No. 36 with a score of 25.59 out of 100.
For the complete data set for all 50 states, click here.