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(STL.News) Missouri has been named the seventh most dangerous state in America for aggressive driving, according to a comprehensive new 50-state analysis. With a Road Rage Danger Score of 46 out of 100, the Show-Me State ranks in the top 5 for speeding crash fatalities and top 6 for road rage shootings, a dual-threat profile shared by few other states. For Missouri’s 6.2 million residents and millions of annual visitors, the data points to an outsized risk on the state’s roadways.
This study was conducted by Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, using data from the FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System), the NHTSA, and The Trace’s road rage shooting database. For each state, three metrics were combined into a weighted Road Rage Danger Score (0–100): FARS road rage fatal crash rate per 100,000 residents (30%), speeding crash rate per 100,000 residents (40%), and road rage shooting victim rate per 100,000 residents (30%). Each metric was normalized and assigned a maximum point value: road rage crashes (30 points), speeding crashes (40 points), and road rage shootings (30 points), then summed to create the final Danger Score out of 100. States were ranked from highest to lowest composite score.
Missouri’s Road Rage Danger Score Breakdown
| Metric | Max Points | Missouri Score |
| Road Rage Crashes Score | 30 | 1 |
| Speeding Crashes Score | 40 | 28 |
| Road Rage Shooting Score | 30 | 17 |
| Total Road Rage Danger Score | 100 | 46 |
Missouri’s score profile reveals a distinctive dual-threat pattern. The state earns 28 out of 40 for speeding crashes (5th nationally) and 17 out of 30 for road rage shootings (6th nationally), but just 1 out of 30 for road rage crashes.
Top 10 Most Dangerous States for Road Rage
| Rank | State | Avg. Population (2019–2023) | Road Rage Crash Rate per 100K | Speeding Crash Rate per 100K | Road Rage Shooting Rate per 100K | Danger Score |
| 1 | South Carolina | 5,225,552 | 1.09 | 7.90 | 0.092 | 68 |
| 2 | New Mexico | 2,111,782 | 0.01 | 6.82 | 0.275 | 65 |
| 3 | Colorado | 5,814,712 | 1.86 | 3.97 | 0.127 | 64 |
| 4 | Alabama | 5,031,538 | 1.49 | 4.46 | 0.105 | 58 |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,804,508 | 1.60 | 3.32 | 0.122 | 56 |
| 6 | Wyoming | 580,133 | 0.14 | 7.89 | 0.047 | 47 |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,166,831 | 0.04 | 5.60 | 0.158 | 46 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | 5,883,707 | 0.61 | 2.95 | 0.196 | 46 |
| 9 | Arizona | 7,306,451 | 0.15 | 4.79 | 0.173 | 45 |
| 10 | Texas | 29,658,211 | 0.04 | 4.38 | 0.186 | 43 |
Missouri ranks #7 nationally with a Danger Score of 46, tied with Wisconsin (also 46). Missouri’s score is just 1 point above Arizona (45) and 3 points above Texas (43). Seven of the top 10 most dangerous states are in the South or Mountain West, and Missouri bridges both regions geographically, sitting at the crossroads of major interstate corridors.
Missouri vs. Neighboring & Regional States
| National Rank | State | Avg. Population (2019–2023) | Road Rage Crash Rate per 100K | Speeding Crash Rate per 100K | Road Rage Shooting Rate per 100K | Danger Score |
| 5 | Indiana | 6,804,508 | 1.60 | 3.32 | 0.122 | 56 |
| 7 | Missouri | 6,166,831 | 0.04 | 5.60 | 0.158 | 46 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 3,034,282 | 0.69 | 4.29 | 0.036 | 37 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | 3,996,494 | 0.00 | 4.01 | 0.123 | 34 |
| 26 | Kansas | 2,932,743 | 0.16 | 2.97 | 0.087 | 27 |
| 27 | Illinois | 12,653,074 | 0.01 | 3.15 | 0.079 | 25 |
| 30 | Kentucky | 4,504,737 | 0.00 | 2.63 | 0.089 | 23 |
| 11 | Tennessee | 6,981,662 | 0.16 | 2.75 | 0.203 | 39 |
| 48 | Iowa | 3,189,315 | 0.05 | 2.20 | 0.009 | 13 |
Missouri’s Danger Score of 46 exceeds all of its immediate neighbors: Arkansas (37), Oklahoma (34), Kansas (27), Illinois (25), Kentucky (23), and Iowa (13).
Top 10 States by Speeding Crash Fatality Rate
| Rank | State | Avg. Population (2019–2023) | Speeding Crash Rate per 100K Residents |
| 1 | South Carolina | 5,225,552 | 7.90 |
| 2 | Wyoming | 580,133 | 7.89 |
| 3 | New Mexico | 2,111,782 | 6.82 |
| 4 | Montana | 1,103,188 | 6.13 |
| 5 | Missouri | 6,166,831 | 5.60 |
| 6 | Arizona | 7,306,451 | 4.79 |
| 7 | Alabama | 5,031,538 | 4.46 |
| 8 | Texas | 29,658,211 | 4.38 |
| 9 | Arkansas | 3,034,282 | 4.29 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 10,605,504 | 4.25 |
Missouri ranks 5th nationally with a speeding crash fatality rate of 5.60 per 100,000 residents, behind South Carolina (7.90), Wyoming (7.89), New Mexico (6.82), and Montana (6.13). Missouri’s rate is 17% higher than sixth-place Arizona (4.79) and 28% higher than eighth-place Texas (4.38).
Top 10 States by Road Rage Shooting Rate
| Rank | State | Avg. Population (2019–2023) | Road Rage Shooting Rate per 100K Residents |
| 1 | New Mexico | 2,111,782 | 0.275 |
| 2 | Tennessee | 6,981,662 | 0.203 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 5,883,707 | 0.196 |
| 4 | Texas | 29,658,211 | 0.186 |
| 5 | Arizona | 7,306,451 | 0.173 |
| 6 | Missouri | 6,166,831 | 0.158 |
| 7 | Nevada | 3,142,387 | 0.151 |
| 8 | Colorado | 5,814,712 | 0.127 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 3,996,494 | 0.123 |
| 10 | Indiana | 6,804,508 | 0.122 |
Missouri ranks 6th nationally for road rage shootings with a rate of 0.158 per 100,000 residents, earning 17 out of 30 possible points. New Mexico leads at 0.275, followed by Tennessee (0.203), Wisconsin (0.196), Texas (0.186), and Arizona (0.173). Missouri’s rate is higher than Colorado (0.127), Oklahoma (0.123), and Indiana (0.122).
Missouri by the Numbers: All Data Points at a Glance
| Data Point | Value |
| Average Population (2019–2023) | 6,166,831 |
| Average Road Rage Crashes per Year (2019–2023) | 2.2 |
| Road Rage Crash Rate per 100,000 Residents | 0.04 |
| National Rank – Road Rage Crash Rate | Not in top 10 |
| Average Speeding Crashes per Year (2019–2023) | 345.2 |
| Speeding Crash Rate per 100,000 Residents | 5.60 |
| National Rank – Speeding Crash Rate | 5th |
| Road Rage Shooting Rate per 100,000 Residents | 0.158 |
| National Rank – Road Rage Shooting Rate | 6th |
| Road Rage Crashes Score (out of 30) | 1 |
| Speeding Crashes Score (out of 40) | 28 |
| Road Rage Shooting Score (out of 30) | 17 |
| Total Road Rage Danger Score (out of 100) | 46 |
| National Overall Rank | #7 out of 50 states (tied with Wisconsin) |
Why This Matters for Missouri
This study analyzed national traffic safety and gun violence datasets to evaluate where aggressive driving risks are most severe across the United States. Speeding-related fatal crash statistics were sourced from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports, while road rage shooting incidents were compiled from The Trace’s national road rage database. Road rage–related fatal crash data was obtained from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau were used to convert totals into per-capita rates, allowing consistent comparisons across states. By standardizing each metric as a per-100,000 resident rate, the analysis highlights states where aggressive driving risks overlap, with Missouri standing out for elevated levels of both speeding fatalities and road rage shootings.
Methodology
This study analyzed five years (2019–2023) of data from three sources to create a composite Road Rage Danger Score for all 50 U.S. states. FARS road rage fatal crash counts were obtained from the U.S. DOT’s query system and converted to a per-capita rate using average Census population estimates. Speeding crash rates were sourced from NHTSA publications. Road rage shooting victim counts came from The Trace’s national database and were similarly converted to a per-100,000 rate. Each metric was normalized on a 0–100 scale (highest state = 100), then weighted: road rage crash rate (30%), speeding crash rate (40%), and road rage shooting rate (30%). The weighted sum produced the final Danger Score (0–100).
Data Sources
FARS Query System – U.S. Department of Transportation:
Road Rage Shootings – The Trace:
https://datahub.thetrace.org/dataset/road-rage-shootings/
NHTSA Speeding Publications:
https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/#!/PublicationList/66
Research Dataset:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZIjM3yqOu9aO_bIeV0AZQHr2eOm6Aumr2j6NyG9RlDk/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Study By:
About Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers
Grigor Law Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is a premier New York “all injury” law firm representing clients in personal injury, car accidents, workers’ compensation, and no-fault claims. With a commitment to aggressive advocacy and proven results, the firm serves injury victims across New York. Learn more at https://grigorlaw.com/.
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