State rankings

Worst Drivers by State

Mississippi has the highest Bad Driving Index in 2021 (100), followed by North Dakota (91.3) and California (90.58). Pennsylvania has the lowest (13.04).

PopulationTravel51 states · 8 metricsUpdated Mar 5, 2025Original page
4 sources
Year 202149 of 51 states
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Bad Driving Index, 2021

Green is better, red is worse (lower is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 49 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
60.87
Middle half 46.38 – 71.74
Average
58.7
49 states
Lowest (best)
13.04
Pennsylvania
Highest (worst)
100
Mississippi

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

49 states · # = rank by Bad Driving Index
#
1Pennsylvania13.04
2New Hampshire18.84
3Utah22.46
4New Jersey24.64
5Connecticut25.36
5Vermont25.36
7New York35.51
8Maine36.23
9West Virginia39.86
10Illinois41.3
10Delaware41.3
12Ohio43.48
13North Carolina46.38
14Indiana50
14Minnesota50
14Kansas50
17Virginia50.72
18Iowa52.9
18South Dakota52.9
20Nebraska53.62
21Wisconsin56.52
21Montana56.52
23Michigan57.97
24Rhode Island59.42
25Texas60.87
26Hawaii61.59
27Georgia62.32
27Oregon62.32
29Maryland65.22
30Washington66.67
31Louisiana67.39
32Idaho68.12
33New Mexico68.84
33Alaska68.84
35Colorado70.29
36South Carolina71.01
37Wyoming71.74
38Alabama73.91
39Arkansas74.64
40Missouri77.54
41Kentucky78.99
42Arizona81.88
43Tennessee83.33
43Oklahoma83.33
45Nevada84.06
46Florida86.96
47California90.58
48North Dakota91.3
49Mississippi100

What correlates with Bad Driving Index (2021)?

Pearson r against 2,092 other state metrics sharing at least 30 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Bad Driving Index tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. % of Homeless Who Are UnshelteredHomeless Population by State
    r = +0.61 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  2. Avg Outdoor Allergy ScoreAllergy-Friendly States
    r = +0.60 · strong · n = 47
    Plot
  3. Average Total Car Repair CostAuto Repair Rates by State
    r = +0.56 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  4. Economic DiversityLeast Diverse States in the USA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = −0.56 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. Incarceration RateIncarceration Rates by State
    r = +0.56 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  6. Incarceration Rate US NewsSafest States in the US
    r = +0.56 · strong · n = 49
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Bad Driving Index tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. Estimated TaxesLeast Taxed States
    r = −0.64 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  2. Tax as % of IncomeLeast Taxed States
    r = −0.64 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  3. Road Safety Rank WalletHubSafest States in the USA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.63 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  4. Minimum CostBreast Augmentation Cost by State
    r = −0.62 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  5. % ShelteredHomeless Population by State
    r = −0.61 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  6. Property Tax BurdenTax Burden by State
    r = −0.60 · strong · n = 49
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Bad Driving Index?
Mississippi has the highest Bad Driving Index in 2021, at 100, followed by North Dakota (91.3) and California (90.58).
Which state has the lowest Bad Driving Index?
Pennsylvania has the lowest Bad Driving Index in 2021, at 13.04.
What is the median Bad Driving Index across US states?
The median is 60.87 across the 49 US states with data in 2021.
Where does this worst drivers by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: States with the Worst Drivers - Smart Asset; Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool - NHTSA; States with the Best and Worst Drivers – Munley Law; Best and Worst Drivers by State: 2024 Report - LendingTree.