U.S. Motor Vehicle Fatalities Declined by Up to 29% While DUI Arrests Dropped by up to 34%, New 50-State Analysis Reveals
Key Takeaways
| 1 | Deadliest states: Hawaii ranks last in the nation with fatal crashes climbing 26.47% (102 to 129), followed by Wyoming at +15.89% (107 to 124) and New Mexico at +11.98% (409 to 458). |
| 2 | Regional divide: The West accounts for 6 of the 10 lowest-ranked states, including the three worst performers, while the Midwest places 4 states in the top 10. |
| 3 | Safest states: Rhode Island tops the ranking with a Road Safety Score of 66.94 and a 28.85% drop in fatal crashes (52 to 37), followed by Iowa at 65.83 and Minnesota at 60.73. |
Across America’s highways and city streets, the story of road safety is no longer a single national narrative. Some states have quietly turned a corner, tightening enforcement and watching preventable deaths decline across their communities. Others have moved in the opposite direction, with roads growing more dangerous by the year. The country now stands divided, not by geography or population, but by the real-world outcomes its drivers face every day. A clearer picture is finally emerging of where progress is taking hold and where the risks are climbing.
This study, conducted by Easton & Easton LLP, analyzed motor vehicle fatal crash totals and DUI arrest counts for all 50 U.S. states across 2024 and 2025, combining both measures into a composite Road Safety Score out of 100 to rank each state’s progress. Data is sourced from the NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System and the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Top 10 U.S. States Leading the Nation in Road Safety Progress
Table 1: Top 10 States on the 2025 Road Safety Score
| Rank | State | Fatal Crashes 2024 | Fatal Crashes 2025 | % Change | Road Safety Score (/100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 52 | 37 | -28.85% | 66.94 |
| 2 | Iowa | 356 | 260 | -26.97% | 65.83 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 477 | 372 | -22.01% | 60.73 |
| 4 | Maryland | 578 | 483 | -16.44% | 55.68 |
| 5 | South Dakota | 146 | 122 | -16.44% | 55.49 |
| 6 | Mississippi | 753 | 639 | -15.14% | 54.73 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1,619 | 1,410 | -12.91% | 52.18 |
| 8 | Alabama | 962 | 851 | -11.54% | 51.72 |
| 9 | Connecticut | 310 | 274 | -11.61% | 51.55 |
| 10 | Nebraska | 251 | 225 | -10.36% | 50.61 |
Insights
Rhode Island leads the nation with the highest Road Safety Score of 66.94, backed by the steepest fatal crash decline in the country at 28.85%. Every state in the top 10 cut fatal crashes by at least 10.36%, nearly double the national average decline of 5.52%.
Bottom 10 U.S. States Making the Least Progress on Road Safety
Table 2: Bottom 10 States on the 2025 Road Safety Score
| Rank | State | Fatal Crashes 2024 | Fatal Crashes 2025 | % Change | Road Safety Score (/100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Hawaii | 102 | 129 | +26.47% | 16.39 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 107 | 124 | +15.89% | 26.35 |
| 48 | New Mexico | 409 | 458 | +11.98% | 30.28 |
| 47 | Kansas | 339 | 367 | +8.26% | 32.33 |
| 46 | Idaho | 238 | 254 | +6.72% | 34.62 |
| 45 | Louisiana | 752 | 773 | +2.79% | 37.76 |
| 44 | Colorado | 689 | 715 | +3.77% | 37.76 |
| 43 | New Hampshire | 133 | 136 | +2.26% | 38.78 |
| 42 | Vermont | 59 | 61 | +3.39% | 38.93 |
| 41 | Utah | 277 | 274 | -1.08% | 40.00 |
Insights
Hawaii ranks last with a Road Safety Score of just 16.39, the only state where fatal crashes surged more than 25% in a single year. Nine of the ten lowest-ranked states recorded higher fatal crash numbers in 2025 than in 2024.
10 U.S. States With the Sharpest Drop in Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes
Table 3: Largest Year-Over-Year Fatal Crash Declines
| Rank | State | Fatal Crashes 2024 | Fatal Crashes 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 52 | 37 | -28.85% |
| 2 | Iowa | 356 | 260 | -26.97% |
| 3 | Minnesota | 477 | 372 | -22.01% |
| 4 | South Dakota | 146 | 122 | -16.44% |
| 5 | Maryland | 578 | 483 | -16.44% |
| 6 | Mississippi | 753 | 639 | -15.14% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 670 | 582 | -13.13% |
| 8 | North Carolina | 1,619 | 1,410 | -12.91% |
| 9 | Washington | 730 | 644 | -11.78% |
| 10 | Connecticut | 310 | 274 | -11.61% |
Insights
Rhode Island, Iowa, and Minnesota posted the steepest declines in the country, each cutting fatal crashes by more than 20% in a single year. Together, the ten states in this table eliminated 868 fatal crashes between 2024 and 2025.
10 U.S. States Where Motor Vehicle Fatal Crashes Rose the Most
Table 4: Largest Year-Over-Year Fatal Crash Increases
| Rank | State | Fatal Crashes 2024 | Fatal Crashes 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 102 | 129 | +26.47% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 107 | 124 | +15.89% |
| 3 | New Mexico | 409 | 458 | +11.98% |
| 4 | Kansas | 339 | 367 | +8.26% |
| 5 | Idaho | 238 | 254 | +6.72% |
| 6 | Colorado | 689 | 715 | +3.77% |
| 7 | Vermont | 59 | 61 | +3.39% |
| 8 | Louisiana | 752 | 773 | +2.79% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 133 | 136 | +2.26% |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 645 | 645 | 0.00% |
Insights
Only 9 of the 50 states recorded an outright rise in motor vehicle fatal crashes, with Hawaii standing alone above the 20% mark. Four of the ten worst performers sit in the Mountain West, signaling a clear regional reversal against the national trend.
10 U.S. States Ramping Up DUI Enforcement
Table 5: Largest Year-Over-Year Increases in DUI Arrests
| Rank | State | DUI Arrests 2024 | DUI Arrests 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | 2,020 | 2,229 | +10.35% |
| 2 | West Virginia | 2,972 | 3,242 | +9.08% |
| 3 | California | 94,000 | 101,459 | +7.94% |
| 4 | Florida | 14,816 | 15,829 | +6.84% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 11,523 | 12,216 | +6.01% |
| 6 | Iowa | 9,216 | 9,657 | +4.79% |
| 7 | Alabama | 9,568 | 9,860 | +3.05% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 6,610 | 6,782 | +2.60% |
| 9 | Colorado | 16,323 | 16,631 | +1.89% |
| 10 | Texas | 60,847 | 61,721 | +1.44% |
Insights
Only 13 states increased DUI arrests year over year, led by Vermont at 10.35% and California, adding 7,459 arrests in raw terms. Stronger enforcement alone did not guarantee safer roads, as Vermont still ranks in the bottom ten on the overall Road Safety Score.
Methodology
Easton & Easton LLP analyzed motor vehicle fatal crash totals and DUI arrest counts for all 50 U.S. states across calendar years 2024 and 2025, with year over year percentage change calculated as (2025 value minus 2024 value) divided by 2024 value, multiplied by 100. Each state received a Fatal Crash Decline Score out of 50 points, with larger declines scoring higher, and a DUI Enforcement Score out of 50 points, with larger arrest increases scoring higher as a proxy for active enforcement. The two subscores were summed into a composite Road Safety Score out of 100, and states were then ranked from 1 (highest score) to 50 (lowest score), with no exclusions.
Data Sources
- NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS): https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/arrest
- Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wpbW9bFn5Nn_XuWuv7li9KaqE9rbT1ef5Lt5EipjfyI/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Study by: https://eastonandeaston.com/
About Easton & Easton LLP
Easton & Easton LLP is a personal injury and wrongful death law firm with more than 100 years of combined legal experience. The firm represents clients in motor vehicle, motor vehicle, and catastrophic injury cases nationwide, and regularly publishes independent road safety research to support stronger driver protections across the United States.
