- West Virginia records the highest rate of December hit-and-run crashes, averaging 1.44 crashes per million residents.
- New Mexico (second) and Florida (third) follow with 1.33 and 1.00 crashes per million residents, respectively.
- North Dakota and Wyoming both recorded 0.00 December hit-and-run crashes per million residents, the lowest rates among all states analyzed.
A new study reveals that West Virginia is the deadliest state in the U.S. for hit-and-run crashes during the Christmas season.
The research by personal injury attorneys at Kuzyk Law examined federal crash data from the California Department of Transportation’s Crash Data Analysis and Statistics (CDAN) Query Tool spanning 2014 to 2023. The study focused specifically on December hit-and-run crashes, comparing these incidents against each state’s population to determine relative risk levels.
- West Virginia leads the nation in December hit-and-run danger with 1.44 crashes per million residents.
- New Mexico ranks second with 1.33 December hit-and-run crashes per million residents.
- Florida ranks third with 1 December hit-and-run crash per million residents.
- Tennessee ranks fourth with 0.97 December hit-and-run crashes per million residents.
- Louisiana ranks fifth with 0.95 December hit-and-run crashes per million residents.
Looking at the study, Mark Anderson, attorney at Kuzyk Law, commented,
“These findings underscore the alarming risks drivers face during the Christmas travel period – especially in high-risk states such as West Virginia, New Mexico, and Florida.
“Seasonal increases in holiday movement, hazardous winter road conditions, increased nighttime driving, and reduced visibility all combine to raise the likelihood of hit-and-run incidents.”
What Drivers in High-Risk States Should Know
Safety advocates recommend these evidence-based strategies:
- Never leave the scene of a crash, even a minor one – stopping, calling 911, and waiting for law enforcement protects you legally and ensures timely help for anyone injured.
- Immediately gather evidence if involved in a hit-and-run: note the fleeing vehicle’s color, direction, and any partial plate number; take photos of the scene, damage, and surroundings.
- Call emergency services right away, even if injuries seem minor; quick reporting increases the chance of identifying the fleeing driver.
- Seek out witnesses and ask for contact details or dashcam footage, which often plays a crucial role in hit-and-run investigations.
- Report any hit-and-run you witness – providing timely information to law enforcement significantly helps with tracking offenders and preventing repeat incidents.
Nevada ranks sixth at 0.92, followed by Delaware (7th) at 0.92, California (8th) at 0.91, Arizona (9th) at 0.88, and Georgia (10th) at 0.75.
Table for Extended Results:
| Top 10 U.S. States With the Most Dangerous Christmas Hit-and-Run Crash Rates | ||
| State | Average December Hit-and-Run Crashes per Million Residents | Rank |
| West Virginia | 1.44 | 1 |
| New Mexico | 1.33 | 2 |
| Florida | 1.00 | 3 |
| Tennessee | 0.97 | 4 |
| Louisiana | 0.95 | 5 |
| Nevada | 0.92 | 6 |
| Delaware | 0.92 | 7 |
| California | 0.91 | 8 |
| Arizona | 0.88 | 9 |
| Georgia | 0.75 | 10 |
The study was conducted by Kuzyk Law, a law firm specializing in representation for car accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, bike, pedestrian, and catastrophic injury claims. With over four decades of experience and a track record serving 100,000+ clients, they offer free consultations and no upfront fees.
Methodology
This study examined federal crash records from the California Department of Transportation’s Crash Data Analysis and Statistics (CDAN) Query Tool covering the decade from 2014 through 2023. The analysis focused specifically on hit-and-run crashes occurring during December across all U.S. states.
Population figures relied on state population totals for the same 2014–2023 period, drawn from U.S. Census data. Hit-and-run crash rates were calculated per one million residents to ensure accurate, population-adjusted comparisons among states of vastly different sizes. This methodology controls for population differences, revealing which states present the highest relative risk regardless of their total population.
Data Sources
- Data: https://cdan.dot.gov/query
- Research Dataset: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1J2o0-soVULd0K0oSpKoe70ejaZabkXfk4on42p9_u2U/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- Research by: https://kuzyklaw.com/fresno/
