Driving in Montana Is Still Riskier Than Anywhere Else for Teens

A few years back, when I started working for Townsquare Media, there was a report from Wallet Hub that ranked Montana as the worst state for teen drivers. This wasn’t the first report from them with that information.     

Living here all my life, I was shocked to find out just how bad our state is if you are a teen driver. Almost every metric that was studied, Montana ranked either dead last or near the bottom.  

Montana’s History of Poor Teen Driving Rankings

Over the years, nothing has changed. Wallet Hub’s latest study continues to have Montana ranked as the worst state for teen drivers.  

These rankings hit close to home to me, since I have recently had two teen drivers on our roads. Even though my children are good drivers, there is a state full of other drivers they have to watch out for. 

READ MORE: Montana Drivers Still Say 'Turn At the Big Cow'

According to their report, car crashes are the leading cause of death in teens aged 16-19.  

Why Montana Teens Face Higher Driving Risks

Montana ranks last out of all the states for our safety rank. We are also second-to-last when it comes to driving laws for teens.  

READ MORE: The Real Reason Montana Roads Rank Among America's Most Dangerous

When it comes to teen driving fatalities, per teen population Montana is one of the last, with only Wyoming having more.  

When it comes to teen DUIs, Montana ties for last with five other states. Both Dakotas, Alaska, and Wyoming are all tied for this tragic statistic. 

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The best state for teen drivers is New York, followed by Oregon, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Kentucky.  

How Parents Can Help Teen Drivers Stay Safe

With school back in session, now may be a good reminder to talk with your teens about defensive driving, not drinking and driving, and the dangers of speeding on Montana roads. 

In the meantime, Montanans can do more to try to keep our teen drivers safe, like enacting more laws with them in mind. Montana is still one of only two states that doesn’t have a statewide distracted driving law on the books.