Mississippi Records 2,199 Fatal Night Crashes in Five Years, the Highest Crash Rate in the Nation

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• Mississippi ranks #2 in the nation for night driving risk, scoring 79 out of 100.

• Mississippi records the highest fatal night crash rate in the country at 21.23 per 100,000 licensed drivers, 3.57 times higher than Vermont’s rate of 5.95.

• Nearly 3 in 10 roads in Mississippi (29.85%) are unacceptable, nearly 70% above the national average.

Nighttime driving in Mississippi is more dangerous than in almost any other state in the country. A five-year analysis across all 50 states reveals that Mississippi ranks second nationally in the Night Driving Risk Index, driven by the highest fatal crash rate in the nation, severely deteriorated road infrastructure, and fuel costs that compound road safety challenges.

The analysis conducted by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers examined all 50 U.S. states from 2019 to 2023. The analysis used data from four institutional sources: nighttime fatal crash records from the NHTSA/CDAN database, road condition classifications from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, AAA’s state-level average gasoline prices, and licensed driver population figures from the FHWA to normalize crash rates. Each state received a composite score out of 100 based on three weighted factors: fatal night crash rate per 100,000 licensed drivers (40%), percentage of unacceptable roads (40%), and average gasoline price per gallon (20%).

Mississippi Ranks #2 in the National Night Driving Risk Index with a Score of 79 out of 100

Mississippi ranks second in the Night Driving Risk Index with a score of 79, sitting just 2.12 points behind first-ranked New Mexico (81), and extending a commanding 9-point gap over third-ranked Louisiana (70). While New Mexico edges Mississippi on the overall score, Mississippi holds the distinction of recording the highest fatal night crash rate in the entire country at 21.23 per 100,000 licensed drivers.

Looking at the study, Chrissy Grigoropoulos, founding partner at Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, commented:

“These findings make clear that where you drive at night in America significantly affects your risk of a fatal crash. States like New Mexico and Mississippi have crash rates more than three times higher than the safest states. Drivers in high-risk states should take extra precautions after dark, and local authorities should treat these numbers as a call to invest in safer roads.”

Mississippi Leads the South in Night Driving Risk, Outpacing Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas

Among Southern states, Mississippi’s dominance of the risk index is clear. Its score of 79 is 9 points higher than third-ranked Louisiana (70), 13 points above South Carolina (66, ranked 7th nationally), and 14 points above Texas (65, ranked 9th). Mississippi also records a higher fatal crash rate than every other Southern state in the index, with 21.23 per 100,000 licensed drivers compared to South Carolina’s 19.29, Louisiana’s 18.22, and Arkansas’s 16.24.

Nearly 3 in 10 Mississippi Roads Are Unacceptable, Ranking 5th Worst in the Nation

Road infrastructure is a significant contributor to Mississippi’s elevated risk profile. With 29.85% of its roads classified as unacceptable by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Mississippi holds the fifth-worst road condition ranking nationally, trailing Rhode Island (44.75%), Hawaii (39.09%), New Mexico (32.97%), and Connecticut (29.97%). Mississippi’s share of unacceptable roads is nearly 70% above the national average of 17.62%.

Vermont and Minnesota Lead the 10 Safest States, with Seven of the 10 Located in the Midwest

The Midwest overwhelmingly contains the 10 safest states for night driving, where a combination of lower crash rates and well-maintained infrastructure creates significantly safer conditions after dark. Vermont ranks as the safest state nationally, with a fatal night crash rate of just 5.95 per 100,000 licensed drivers, 3.57 times lower than Mississippi’s 21.23.

Methodology

This study examined nighttime fatal crash data across all 50 U.S. states from 2019 to 2023. Data came from NHTSA/CDAN, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, AAA gas prices, and FHWA licensed driver figures. A composite risk score (0–100) was calculated using three weighted factors: fatal crash rate per 100,000 drivers (40%), poor road conditions (40%), and average gas prices (20%), with normalization ensuring fair cross-state comparison.

Data Sources

• Nighttime Fatal Crash Data: https://cdan.dot.gov/query
• Road Condition Data: https://www.bts.gov/road-condition
• Gasoline Price Data: https://gasprices.aaa.com/state-gas-price-averages/
• Licensed Driver Data: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policyinformation/statistics/2023/dl1c.cfm
• Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VIYLCDs-udF8EdXGl9NYD2-Bxu4vXDgLcg5Lsd42m4s/edit?gid=0#gid=0
• Research by: https://grigorlaw.com/

About Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers 

The study was conducted by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, a premier New York “all injury” law firm representing clients in personal injury, car accidents, workers’ compensation, and no-fault claims.