Montana Tops U.S. in Motorcycle Safety Rankings

Montana has some of the most dangerous roads in the country. We rank high when it comes to drunk driving fatalities. According to the Montana Department of Transportation, the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) shows that in 2023, 34% of all fatalities in Montana were the result of alcohol-impaired driving, slightly up from 33% in 2022.

Surprisingly, there is one statistic where Montana drivers come out on top; that’s motorcycle safety.

Montana’s Surprising Lead in Motorcycle Safety

According to Big Auto Accident Attorneys, using National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 2023 information, Montana has the lowest total deaths in the country at 6.61 per 100,000 registered motorcycles.

The next closest state in motorcycle fatalities is New York with almost three times as many as Montana, with 19.24 fatalities per 100,000 registered motorcycles.

States With the Highest Motorcycle Fatalities

The state with the most motorcycle fatalities in the country is Mississippi, with 189.30 per 100,000 registered motorcycles fatalities. Followed by Texas (179.07), Missouri (129.08), South Carolina (120.16), and North Carolina (117.18).

Montana’s motorcycle riding season isn’t very long. The states with the highest fatality rates can ride motorcycles nearly year-round.

Sharing the Road and Staying Alert

When my kids were growing up and we would take a road trip, we used to play “spot the motorcycle”. It was my way of teaching them to keep their eyes open to motorcycles when traveling. I haven’t gotten used to when a motorcycle “filters” in the lane when we are stopped at traffic lights in town. It’s legal in Montana, and it’s supposed to be safer in the long run, but it still surprises me when it happens.

It’s good to see that Montana motorcycle riders are some of the safest in the country, but it is up to all of us to make sure that continues.

LOOK: Here are the states where you are most likely to hit an animal

Hitting an animal while driving is a frightening experience, and this list ranks all 50 states in order of the likelihood of such incidents happening, in addition to providing tips on how to avoid them.

Gallery Credit: Dom DiFurio & Jacob Osborn