California Tops U.S. List for Fatal Hit-and-Run Crashes, New Analysis Shows
A new nationwide study has revealed striking differences in fatal hit-and-run crash rates across the United States — and California stands out more than any other state. The analysis, conducted by the Law Offices of James A. Welcome, examined five years of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data to understand where drivers are most likely to flee the scene of a deadly collision.
Between 2019 and 2023, the U.S. recorded 186,283 fatal crashes, and 13,001 of those involved a hit-and-run, meaning 7% of all fatal incidents nationwide occurred when a driver left the scene.
California Leads the Nation by a Wide Margin
California emerged as the state with the highest percentage of fatal hit-and-run crashes. Out of 19,241 fatal collisions, 2,178 involved a fleeing driver, placing the state at an 11.3% rate — 4.3 percentage points higher than the national average.
Nevada follows at 9.8%, while New Jersey ranks third at 9.7%. Hawaii placed fourth with 9.2%, despite having far fewer overall crashes than most other states.
A four-way tie emerged for fifth place, with New York, Illinois, Connecticut, and New Mexico all reporting a 9% hit-and-run rate, two percentage points above the national average. Although these states vary significantly in population and total crash counts, each recorded a similar proportion of drivers fleeing fatal scenes.
The data suggests that states with major metropolitan areas — including California, New York, and Illinois — face unique challenges due to high traffic volume, dense urban environments, and more complex roadway systems.
Rural States Record the Lowest Hit-and-Run Rates
At the opposite end of the rankings, Maine had the lowest percentage in the entire country. Only 0.6% of the state’s fatal crashes involved a hit-and-run, with just four such incidents across five years.
New Hampshire ranked second at 1.1%, followed by Iowa, Wyoming, and Idaho — each at 1.4%. These sparsely populated states tend to have fewer high-density traffic corridors and lower levels of congestion, factors that appear to correlate with lower hit-and-run rates.
Nebraska and South Dakota also recorded some of the lowest percentages, at 2% and 2.5%, further highlighting the divide between urban and rural regions.
A Clear Geographic Pattern
A spokesperson for the Law Offices of James A. Welcome noted that the analysis highlights how population density and urbanization influence these incidents:
“West Coast states and parts of the Northeast consistently report higher percentages of fatal hit-and-run crashes. In contrast, rural states — especially in New England and the Midwest — show far lower rates. This reflects how traffic volume, roadway complexity, and urban pressures impact driver decision-making after serious collisions.”
How the Rankings Were Calculated
Researchers examined NHTSA fatal crash data from 2019 to 2023. For each state:
- Total fatal crashes were identified
- Fatal crashes involving hit-and-runs were counted
- A percentage was calculated and used to rank states from highest to lowest
The resulting list shows significant variation, with some states more than ten times higher than the safest regions.
For the full methodology, state-by-state rankings, and legal commentary from the firm, visit the Law Offices of James A. Welcome
