Living in one of these 5 states could put you on a crash course with higher car insurance premiums

There’s some good news for drivers across America. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), traffic deaths dropped in the first half of 2025, falling more than 8% compared to the same period the previous year.
It’s the biggest mid-year drop in fatalities since 2008, and the lowest traffic death rate per mile driven in over a decade (1).
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But it’s not all smooth roads, since a handful of states still account for a disproportionate share of deadly crashes. And if you live in one of them, those risks can follow you straight to your car insurance bill.
Here’s a closer look at the five states with the most traffic deaths in 2025, and why it matters for your wallet.
California: More drivers, more danger?
California tops the list for total traffic deaths.
The biggest contributors are speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving, especially in urban communities like Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area (2).
Even though California has shared in the nationwide decline in fatalities so far this year, its sheer volume of vehicles keeps it at the top of the list.
That risk shows up in insurance costs, since California drivers pay some of the highest premiums in the country, with average full-coverage policies costing on average $2,848 a year, according to data from Quadrant Information Services reported by Forbes (3).
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Florida: Tourists, traffic and trouble
Florida consistently ranks near the top for deadly crashes.
The state’s roads are typically packed with tourists, retirees and commuters, which means more congestion and higher chances for accidents. With aggressive driving, distracted drivers and one of the highest rates of uninsured motorists in the country, there’s a crash every 44 seconds in Florida according to the state’s DMV (4).
Fatal crash rates in Florida remain among the highest nationwide, even as national numbers improve.
For drivers, that can mean sticker shock at renewal time. Florida auto insurance premiums are among the most expensive in the U.S. at around $3,536 a year — boosted up by high claim volumes, medical costs and litigation tied to accidents (3).