Mississippi Car Accident Statistics [2025 Updated]

Mississippi car accident statistics offer a valuable perspective on traffic safety and driver behavior. Beyond the human cost and emotion of headlines, the numbers detail when, where, and how car accidents occur and who is most vulnerable. Drivers use these numbers to make informed decisions, while insurance companies use them to assess risk and liability. They can also help victims and their families understand risk factors that range from rural roads to urban freeways.

Whether you are simply curious about the safety of driving in the Magnolia State or are personally recovering from a wreck, this crash statistics overview provides context and a practical basis for consultation with an experienced Mississippi attorney.

Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

At WaideLaw, our analysis pairs current crash data with practical insight from representing Mississippians after serious collisions. Daniel Waide, serving as executive committee chair for the Mississippi Bar’s Employment Law Section, leads our firm with recognized diligence and ethics.

Raised on a Mississippi family farm, he brings integrity, accountability, and resilience to every matter, guided by Isaiah 1:17. In Hattiesburg, Daniel supports youth sports programs, public safety initiatives, and local health programs, underscoring a community-first approach to client advocacy.

Mississippi’s 2023 Crash Snapshot

Mississippi has some of the highest fatal-crash rates in the country. The state’s fatality rate per capita and per miles traveled each ranked highest among states in 2023: 24.9 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.79 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Both rates remain above the national average despite recent declines in traffic deaths.

The U.S. total traffic deaths dropped to 40,901 in 2023, and the U.S. fatality rate dropped to 1.26 per 100M VMT. Mississippi’s per-capita and per-mile risks of dying in a traffic crash remain high by comparison. The state’s relative risks frame the challenge for safety efforts and explain why insurers and policymakers focus on seat-belt use, impairment, speeding, and rural-road exposure.

Top Risk Factors Behind Mississippi Crashes

Behavioral factors are also readily apparent in the statistics. Observed seat belt use in Mississippi in 2023 was 82.2%, behind the national estimated average of 91.9%. This is a key differential, as seat-belt use has a strong mitigating effect on the risk of a fatal outcome.

Lower rates of restraint use, coupled with a high prevalence of speed, impairment, and distraction, are major contributors to Mississippi’s elevated fatality figures. Targeted enforcement and education can help turn these numbers in a positive direction; current statewide initiatives continue to focus on buckling up, driving sober, and putting the phone down.

Where and When Crashes Happen Most

In 2023, the rural fatality rate, 1.65 per 100M VMT, was about 1.5× the urban rate of 1.07 nationally. This higher rate on rural roads is typically associated with higher speeds, longer emergency response times, and less lighting. States with a greater share of rural mileage tend to have a higher overall risk per mile traveled, and Mississippi’s rate of 1.79 per 100M VMT reflects that trend.

Seasonal and time-of-day patterns are similar to the national picture, with nighttime and weekend travel typically having a higher risk, and total miles traveled increasing modestly in 2023. These context clues may help explain why certain corridors and time windows have worse outcomes.

What the Numbers Mean for Your Claim

Accident statistics can drive claims on two large fronts: liability and damages. As Mississippi is a pure comparative negligence state, your damages recoveries will be reduced by your percentage of fault, but not completely barred. Damage claims can also overlap with insurance policy design.

For example, in Mississippi, every automobile insurance policy is required to cover bodily injury/property damage uninsured motorist (UM) coverage unless the insured affirmatively rejects that provision in writing. UM coverage can be vital to a claimant’s rights when the negligent driver is uninsured or underinsured.

Knowledge of these legal principles, combined with the local risk of a crash, can allow you to establish realistic expectations on settlement negotiations and, if necessary, litigation.

FAQs

Q: Where Can I Find Official Mississippi Car Accident Statistics?

A: For current, authoritative numbers, start with NHTSA’s State Traffic Data fact sheet for 2023, which compiles FARS fatal-crash metrics by state. Pair that with Mississippi’s own resources like the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety/DPS crash data pages, for local drill-downs by location or factor. Using both lets you compare statewide trends against national baselines and verify year-over-year changes with primary sources.

Q: What Do “Per 100 Million VMT” and “Per 100,000 People” Actually Measure?

A: Rates by VMT measure deaths for miles driven and indicate the risk per distance traveled. Rates per capita measure deaths for the population and indicate risk per resident. Considering both is relevant to Mississippi, where rural travel and exposure may not be the same as in a more urbanized state. NHTSA’s State Traffic Data reports each side-by-side so readers can see how Mississippi ranks on both in the same year.

Q: How Did Mississippi Compare to Other States In 2023?

A: Mississippi ranked first in the nation on multiple fatality-rate measures. According to NHTSA, it had the worst fatality rate per 100 million VMT, 1.79, and per 100,000 population, 24.90, among states in 2023. It also ranked first per 100,000 licensed drivers and per 100,000 registered vehicles. Those rankings are why analysts take a close look at restraint use, impairment, speed, and rural exposure when interpreting Mississippi’s results.

Q: What Do We Know About Mississippi Seat-Belt Use?

A: Seat-belt use is an important safety indicator. National observed belt use in 2023 was 91.9%, but in Mississippi, it was just 82.2% according to the state survey. That’s a significant coverage gap. Restraint use greatly reduces the risk of fatal injury, so this difference is one reason Mississippi’s fatality rates remain high. Seat-belt use is one of the quickest ways to save lives.

Contact a Mississippi Car Accident Lawyer

Crash statistics in Mississippi paint a very clear picture, and informed action can be a crucial difference. If a crash has impacted your life, WaideLaw can turn the data into a plan, lay out your options, and work to secure compensation. Steered by integrity and our community values, our team can help you look toward the future. Book a consultation in Hattiesburg today.