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The Top 5 U.S. States with the Most Traffic Deaths Caused by Speeding
| U.S. State | Traffic Fatalities Attributed to Speeding | % of Total Traffic Fatalities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 1,247 | 36.6% |
| 2 | California | 916 | 32.0% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 614 | 46.8% |
| 4 | North Carolina | 440 | 34.0% |
| 5 | Illinois | 387 | 40.4% |
Special Report
- Speeding-related fatalities increased in the United States by 2 percent from 10,001 deaths in 2011 to 10,219 deaths in 2012. An average of 92 people died each day in motor vehicle crashes in 2012 which is an average of one every 16 minutes. (a.)
- Speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to traffic crashes and at a tremendous cost. NHTSA estimates that the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion. In 2012, speeding was a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes, and 10,219 lives were lost in speeding related crashes. (a.)
- For drivers involved in fatal crashes, young males are the most likely to be speeding. The relative proportion of speeding-related crashes to all crashes decreased with increasing driver age. In 2012, 24 percent of female drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group and 19 percent of female drivers in the 21- to 24-year-old age group involved in fatal crashes were speeding at the time of the crash. Among males, 37 percent of 15- to 20-year-old and 37 percent of 21- to 24-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes were speeding. (a.)
- Alcohol involvement is prevalent for drivers involved in speeding-related crashes. In 2012, 42 percent of speeding drivers had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or higher in fatal crashes, compared to only 16 percent of non-speeding drivers involved in fatal crashes. (a.)
- In 2012, 34 percent of all motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding, compared to 22 percent for passenger car drivers, 18 percent for light-truck drivers, and 8 percent for large-truck drivers.
- National Highway Traffic Safety Association: "Traffic Safety Facts, 2012 Data: Speeding".
Tags:
Death Statistics, Top 5 Most, Motor Vehicles, The United States
Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Association: Traffic Safety Facts, 2012 Data: Speeding.
List Notes: Data is speeding-related traffic fatalities, by U.S. state for the year 2012 which is the latest available data as of March 2015. Percentage of total is the percentage of speeding deaths from total road traffic deaths for that state for 2012. For the purposes of this list, a crash is considered to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash.
Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Association: Traffic Safety Facts, 2012 Data: Speeding.
List Notes: Data is speeding-related traffic fatalities, by U.S. state for the year 2012 which is the latest available data as of March 2015. Percentage of total is the percentage of speeding deaths from total road traffic deaths for that state for 2012. For the purposes of this list, a crash is considered to be speeding-related if the driver was charged with a speeding-related offense or if an officer indicated that racing, driving too fast for conditions, or exceeding the posted speed limit was a contributing factor in the crash.
