Mississippi ranks 4th worst state in the nation for truck drivers

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — A new study had revealed truck drivers rank Mississippi as the fourth worst state in the nation for truck driving.

The research team at Texas-based personal injury law firm The Barber Law Firm used data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics to analyze factors such as the trucks involved in fatal crashes and fatalities, traffic congestion per interstate, the average annual salary of truck drivers, and as well as share of major highways in good and fair condition to identify the most dangerous and safest states for truck drivers across America.

Key Findings:

• Mississippi is the 4th worst state for truck drivers with a score of 29.36 out of 100.
• The state has the 2nd highest rate of fatalities in the top 10 worst states, with 7.64 fatalities per 100,000 truck registrations.
• Mississippi sees 7.28 trucks involved in fatal crashes per 100,000 registrations—the 3rd highest rate among the top 10 worst states.
• While road conditions are slightly better than the bottom three states (85.5% in good/fair condition), the average annual salary of $55,240 remains below the national leaders in the “safest” category.

With over 5,800 large trucks involved in fatal crashes annually (a 49% increase in the last decade), understanding these state-by-state risk factors is crucial for America’s 3.5 million truck drivers and the companies managing the nation’s vital supply chains.

“Truck drivers are the unsung heroes of our economy. Our research confirms what they already know. Road safety can vary wildly depending on which state they are driving through. These men and women keep our shelves stocked, our fuel flowing, and our deliveries on time. Yet they face dangerous conditions, long hours, and low pay. Improving safety in the worst-performing states is not just about preventing accidents. It is about honoring the people who keep America running.”