Study: Texas, Hawaii, California Top States With Fatal Crashes Involving Unlicensed Drivers

Texas topped the list of U.S. states with fatal car crashes involving unlicensed drivers with 24.16% of drivers in fatal crashes found not to have a valid license, a new study of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows.

Hawaii and California followed with 23.14% and 22.31%. The lowest rates were in New Hampshire, where 5.68% of drivers in deadly collisions didn’t have a valid license.

The study conducted by personal injury lawyer Connecticut Trial Firm analyzed NHTSA data on drivers involved in fatal crashes between 2017 and 2021. The total number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Texas was 27,392, out of which 3,308 were not licensed, 1,183 had a suspended license, 689 had expired, 106 had been revoked, and 97 had been canceled or denied, while 1,234 drivers’ license status remained unknown. In total 6,617 of the drivers did not have a valid license, the study showed.

In Hawaii, out of 687 drivers involved in fatal accidents, 159 did not have a valid license. California recorded 27,309 drivers involved in fatal crashes, of whom 1,867 were not licensed, while a slightly higher number, 1,914, were found to be in possession of a suspended license.

Louisiana was fourth on the list. In total, 5,627 drivers were involved in fatal crashes in Louisiana, and 1,165 of them did not have a valid license, with the most common reason being it had been suspended (514). In fifth place, Indiana had 1,268 drivers without a valid license involved in fatal collision between 2017 and 2021, which equated to 19.89% of the total 6,375 drivers.