We knew this and it doesn't get better from year to year. North Dakota is in the Top 5 of the Most Dangerous States to Drive in, according to 24/7 Wall St.

Depending on who you talk to, most people I know will say some of the worst drivers they have ever encountered are in North Dakota. From not merging to a total disregard for signal lights or traffic signs, it's dangerous to navigate a vehicle in this state. And this explains why NoDak is at the top of this list of the most dangerous states to drive.

First, let's look at the process 24/7 Wall St. used to make this annual list-

To rank the safest and most dangerous states to drive in, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state by state fatality data from the IIHS along with urban and rural travel data provided by the FHA, each for 2013. The number of fatal roadway deaths was then adjusted for population, noted as fatalities per 100,000 residents. Penalties for alcohol impaired driving by state were provided by WalletHub. Fatal injuries due to vehicle accidents include pedestrian and cyclist fatalities.

The good news is the Peace Garden State in not the most dangerous state. That honor go to Montana. North Dakota ranked #2.

With 20.5 deaths for every 100,000 residents, fatal accidents on the road are nearly twice as common in North Dakota than they are across the country, where the corresponding rate is 10.3 deaths per 100,000 residents. As in many of the states with the most dangerous roads, drivers and passengers in North Dakota are less likely to use a seatbelt. While about 87% of Americans use a seatbelt, only 78% buckle up in North Dakota.

A larger than average share of those killed on North Dakota roadways are in pickup trucks or SUVs. Nationally, SUVs and pickup trucks are involved in about a quarter of all roadway fatalities. In North Dakota, roughly 52% of those killed on the road are in pickups or SUVs.

The other states in the top 5 worst or most dangerous states are Mississippi, West Virginia and Oklahoma respectively. The safest states are #50, Massachusetts followed by New York, New Jersey and  Rhode Island.

Joe Raedle / Getty
Joe Raedle / Getty
loading...

More From Cool 98.7 FM