Winter driving is riskier in certain states, and a new study highlights just how severe the danger can be.
MoneyGeek analyzed fatal-crash data from the Federal Aviation Safety Data (FARS) covering 2020 through 2023, focusing on crashes tied to winter road conditions such as sleet, snow, blowing snow, and freezing drizzle. They also considered winter driving fatality rates, defined as fatalities per billion vehicle miles traveled.
Using this data, each state was given a final winter-danger score ranging from 0 to 100 to identify which states pose the greatest risk for drivers in winter. Michigan stood out dramatically, earning the maximum score of 100 and recording 156 winter-related fatalities between 2020 and 2023 — an average of about 39 deaths per year. That total is more than 46 higher than the second-most dangerous state, Pennsylvania, which logged 110 fatalities and a score of 71.8.
Rounding out the top five are Ohio with 104 fatalities and a 66.5 score, Alaska with 30 fatalities and a 62.8 score (also the highest winter fatality rate at 1.35), and Illinois with 95 fatalities and a 61.7 score.
MoneyGeek’s full ranking of the 20 most dangerous states for winter driving is as follows:
- Michigan — 156 fatalities; winter-fatality rate 0.41; score 100.0
- Pennsylvania — 110 fatalities; rate 0.28; score 71.8
- Ohio — 104 fatalities; rate 0.24; score 66.5
- Alaska — 30 fatalities; rate 1.35; score 62.8
- Illinois — 95 fatalities; rate 0.24; score 61.7
- Wyoming — 40 fatalities; rate 1.01; score 61.3
- Montana — 46 fatalities; rate 0.87; score 60.1
- Colorado — 63 fatalities; rate 0.30; score 49.7
- Wisconsin — 74 fatalities; rate 0.29; score 49.4
- Minnesota — 70 fatalities; rate 0.31; score 45.8
- Indiana — 69 fatalities; rate 0.21; score 43.8
- New York — 63 fatalities; rate 0.14; score 38.2
- Texas — 51 fatalities; rate 0.04; score 35.0
- South Dakota — 20 fatalities; rate 0.50; score 31.1
- Oregon — 34 fatalities; rate 0.24; score 30.9
- Missouri — 37 fatalities; rate 0.16; score 30.8
- West Virginia — 25 fatalities; rate 0.53; score 30.4
- Kansas — 33 fatalities; rate 0.36; score 29.8
- Nebraska — 31 fatalities; rate 0.44; score 29.4
- Vermont — 13 fatalities; rate 0.48; score 26.7
As expected, states with little to no winter weather—such as Hawaii, which has reported zero winter-weather fatalities, and Alabama and Mississippi, each with only one fatality—sit at the lower end of the spectrum.
For the complete report and to see where your state lands in winter driving danger, visit MoneyGeek’s full study at their website.
