New study reveals the safest states for truck drivers in America with New York ranking high on the list.
The research team at Texas-based personal injury law firm The Barber Law Firm used data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics to analyze factors such as the trucks involved in fatal crashes and fatalities, traffic congestion per interstate, the average annual salary of truck drivers, and as well as share of major highways in good and fair condition to identify the most dangerous and safest states for truck drivers across America.
Also See: New York Drivers Face Highest Financial Risk After a Crash
Key Findings:
New York ranks as the eighth-safest state for truck drivers in America with a score of 61.66 out of 100.
The Empire State offers truck drivers one of the highest average annual salaries in the nation at $64,410 combined with strong safety metrics, including just 2.10 trucks involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 truck registrations and 2.21 fatalities per 100,000 registrations.
Despite navigating considerable traffic congestion at 5,410.46 vehicles per interstate mile, reflecting New York’s role as a major Northeast commercial corridor, the state maintains 76.3% of its major highways in good or fair condition.
With over 5,800 large trucks involved in fatal crashes annually (a 49% increase in the last decade), understanding these state-by-state risk factors is crucial for America’s 3.5 million truck drivers and the companies managing the nation’s vital supply chains.
Safest States for Truck Drivers
Rank
State
Truck Drivers’ Average Annual Salary
Trucks Involved in Fatal Crashes Per 100,000 Truck Registrations
Fatalities Per 100k Truck Registrations
Traffic Congestion (Vehicle Per Interstate)
Share of Major Highways in Good and Fair Condition (%)
Score
50
Alaska
66,890
1.93
1.93
630.41
84.7
77.96
49
Vermont
57,050
1.63
1.63
1965.62
94.9
77.14
48
Montana
59,050
2.23
2.37
1976.14
95.3
74.7
47
Minnesota
62,110
1.67
1.80
6407.25
94.9
73.9
46
North Dakota
59,840
3.41
3.28
1857.44
95.8
68.96
45
South Dakota
58,150
2.81
2.92
2041.75
96.1
68.58
44
New Hampshire
59,120
1.00
1.22
6249.16
89.6
66.54
43
New York
64,410
2.10
2.21
5410.46
76.3
61.66
42
Utah
59,460
3.13
3.34
3292.63
93.9
61.64
41
Washington
67,060
1.52
1.71
9749.06
79.2
60.84
Kris Barber, founder and principal attorney of The Barber Law Firm, shares insights on what these findings mean for truck drivers and road safety:
“Truck drivers are the unsung heroes of our economy. Our research confirms what they already know. Road safety can vary wildly depending on which state they are driving through. These men and women keep our shelves stocked, our fuel flowing, and our deliveries on time. Yet they face dangerous conditions, long hours, and low pay. Improving safety in the worst-performing states is not just about preventing accidents. It is about honoring the people who keep America running.”
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