Oregon Records 143 Fatal Hit-and-Run Crashes as West Coast Emerges as National Hotspot
Population density, urbanization, and traffic volume influence the number of fatal hit-and-run accidents nationwide, a factor that emerged during research conducted by a law firm that placed Oregon 18th.
On the other end of the scale, rural areas and less densely populated states, particularly the Midwest and New England, have the lowest rates of fatal accidents involving drivers fleeing the scene.
West Coast and Northeast States Report the Highest Percentages of Hit-and-Run Fatalities
West Coast states and parts of the Northeast report some of the highest percentages, according to a spokesperson for the Law Offices of James A. Welcome, who researched hit-and-run fatalities.
According to the national average, of the 186,283 fatal motor vehicle crashes across the United States from 2019 to 2023, 13,001 involved hit-and-run drivers, representing 7% of all fatal crashes nationwide.
Oregon shared 18th position with three other states – North Carolina, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Each of these states recorded a 5.6% hit-and-run rate, which is 1.4 percentage points below the national average.
Oregon recorded 143 hit-and-run fatalities out of 2,554 accidents.
Wisconsin recorded 153 hit-and-run fatalities out of 2,744 total crashes. North Carolina reported 410 hit-and-run fatalities out of 7,286 crashes, while Missouri had 254 out of 4,531.
California Has the Highest Hit-and-Run Rate in the Country
Neighboring California has the highest number of fatal hit-and-run accidents nationwide. California had a total of 2,178 hit-and-run fatalities between 2019 and 2023, resulting in an 11.3% rate, which is 4.3% higher than the national average.
This places the Golden State at the top of the rankings, showing a concerning trend compared to other regions, according to the researchers.
Hawaii ranked fourth with 9.2% of fatal crashes involving hit-and-runs, 2.2 percentage points above the national average of 7%, while the fifth position is a four-way tie between New York, Connecticut, Illinois, and New Mexico, each with a 9% hit-and-run rate, which is two percent above the national average.
Maine recorded the lowest percentage of hit-and-run fatalities in the country, with only 0.6% of fatal crashes involving a driver fleeing the scene. There were only four hit-and-run incidents out of 727 total fatal crashes.
While West Coast states and parts of the Northeast report some of the highest percentages, rural and less densely populated states record the lowest rates.
Researchers analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) between 2019 and 2023. The total number of fatal crashes was identified in each state, and was then compared with the number of crashes involving hit-and-run incidents.