Verizon Connect data shows riskiest states for commercial drivers

New nationwide data and analysis from Verizon Connect shows the safest and riskiest states to drive in within the U.S.

Verizon Connect conducted the analysis using U.S. Department of Transportation and Census statistics as well as data from nearly 824,000 vehicles equipped with Verizon Connect fleet management software between January 2017 and April 2019.

The analysis developed a ranking of states from safest to riskiest based on average fatalities per vehicle miles traveled, fatalities per capita, average speeding events per day and average speeding events per mile.

The top 10 riskiest states to drive in for commercial vehicles are:

1. North Dakota
2. New Mexico
3. Montana
4. Mississippi
5. Wyoming
6. Oklahoma
7. Alabama
8. South Carolina
9. South Dakota
10. Louisiana

The top 10 safest states to drive in are:

1. Massachusetts
2. Rhode Island
3. New York
4. New Jersey
5. Washington
6. Minnesota
7. Hawaii
8. Connecticut
9. Vermont
10. New Hampshire

The data also shows safety is improving among commercial vehicles. Verizon Connect found that harsh driving (harsh braking, acceleration and cornering) by commercial vehicle drivers has declined significantly. Data shows harsh driving incidents decreased 22% from 2017 to 2018, and this year is on track to be even lower.