The study says for every 100 million miles driven in Arizona, there are 1.60 fatalities. Anyone who’s lived in Arizona for even a little while has personally seen a bad driver or two. It doesn’t matter if it’s speeding, tail gaiting, weaving in and out of traffic, refusal to use a turn signal or even texting while driving, we are known and identified as having some of the worst drivers in the United States. Smart Asset recently ranked Arizona drivers in the ninth place for irresponsible drivers in 2022.

SmartAsset used the following metrics to determine their rankings:

  • Fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles driven.
  • Arrests for driving under the influence per 1,000 drivers
  • Percentage of drivers who are insured
  • Google Trends on driving tickets

SmartAsset reports for every 100 million miles driven in Arizona, there are 1.60 fatalities. The Grand Canyon State also reports 2.63 DUI arrests per 1,000 drivers. And here’s a scary thought – 11.8% of Arizona’s drivers do not have insurance, according to the study.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic deaths spiked 10.5% in 2021 and more than 42,000 people died in crashes. That increase followed 2020, which saw almost 39,000 people die in motor vehicle fatalities. 2020 was the deadliest year on American roads since 2007 despite fewer people driving amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to SmartAsset.

If you’re wondering who topped the list, that would be Mississippi with 1.90 fatalities per 100 million miles driven. Here are the other states with the worst drivers in the United States:

  • Mississippi
  • Tennessee
  • California
  • South Carolina
  • Arkansas
  • Missouri
  • Nevada
  • Kentucky
  • Arizona
  • Florida/Colorado tied for 10th place

The reality is you have to drive a car to get where you are going. When you are behind the wheel you can become part of the solution by slowing down just a little, provide some additional distance between you are the car in front of you and ignore the distractions. When other drivers don’t do this and you have an issue give us a call!

The foundation of my law firm is integrity, honesty and compassion. I have over 20 years of experience helping Tucson families who are injured because of the careless and reckless acts of others. I help with serious injuries that require serious representation. I am a vigorous advocate for my clients, protect their rights and give them a voice in the court room. Call Tammy Carter Law 24/7/365 at 520-333-7737.