TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Labor Day is the second deadliest weekend to drive in America, behind the 4th of July, but a new study found Indiana is ranked within the top 25 safest states to drive in this holiday weekend.
The study was conducted by Munley Law using the most recent data from the NHTSA, FBI and Census Bureau. It uses seven factors to rank each state by how dangerous it is to drive in each state during Labor Day weekend.
The study found that Indiana is the 24th safest state to drive in during Labor Day weekend.
Here are the key findings:
- Motor Vehicle Traffic Fatalities per 100,000 Residents 2024: 11.94 (#26)
- DUI Arrests per 100,000 Residents 2024: 204.79 (#20)
- Fatal Crashes with BAC .08+ g/dL per 100,000 Residents 2023: 3.42 (#29)
- Fatal Crashes Involving Speeding per 100,000 Residents 2023: 3.34 (#31)
- Pedestrians Killed in Vehicle Accidents per 100,000 Residents 2023: 1.39 (#16)
- Motor Carrier Traffic Violations per 100,000 Residents 2024: 390.67 (#42)
- Uninsured Motorists 2023: 14% (#30)
Last week, Sgt. Matt Ames with the Indiana State Police told WTWO/WAWV, state police will have extra patrols during the holiday weekend to keep motorists safe.
Sgt. Ames said they will be looking for aggressive driving, texting and driving, and drivers not wearing seatbelts. He also reminded motorists to make sure they are well rested when making a long trip.
“A lot of times, you can see someone that’s very tired and they will look like an intoxicated driver out here operating on the roadway, going left of center, not paying attention because they’re tired,” said Sgt. Ames. “So, make sure that you get plenty of rest before you get take off and make sure that you’re vehicle’s ready to go.”
The study also found that the most dangerous road in Indiana is Interstate 69 with 21 fatal crashes in 2023.
Neighboring states, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan, were also ranked within the top 25, with Illinois ranked 11th, Ohio ranked 20th and Michigan ranked 25th.
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