JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – Recent data shows that roads in Mississippi are more deadly now for drivers under 21 than roads more than 20 years ago.
In 2002, the fatal crash involvement rate in Mississippi was 9.06 per 10,000 licensed drivers under 21. That was the 8th highest nationally and roughly 40% higher than the national average at the time. In 2021, the fatal crash involvement rate was 9.13. That is the 4th highest nationally and roughly 214% higher than the national average. As fatalities among young drivers went down over 34% nationally over 20 years, it increased by roughly 0.8% in Mississippi.
Since cars have become considerably safer over the last 20 years, these numbers may be surprising to many. However, two major statistics may explain why Mississippi’s death rate is so high.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one in three teens say they have texted while driving. Research cited by the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) found that dialing a phone number while driving increases a teen’s risk of crashing by six times, and texting while driving increases the risk by 23 times. For drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes, 21% were distracted by the use of cell phones.