State of Safety: A State-by-State Report

National Safety Council is on a mission to eliminate preventable deaths in our lifetime, but safety can be difficult to quantify. That's why NSC took on a year-long project to grade states on actions and policies they have taken – or not taken – to reduce risk for all residents. The State of Safety: A State-by-State Report provides insight into promising practices, and it shows where states are on track or falling short on road safety, home and community safety, and workplace safety. It offers a bird's-eye view of safety policies and legislation that can help us reduce preventable deaths from things like distracted driving, prescription painkillers and falls. Get the methodology here.

No State Earned an "A"

No state goes far enough to protect its residents from the leading causes of preventable deaths and injuries – commonly known as "accidents." Following is the list of states in rank order: 

It's Time for Action 

Fatalities from poisonings (including drug overdoses), motor vehicle crashes, falls, drowning, choking and fires have increased 7% since 2014, claiming more than 140,000 lives each year, according to  Injury Facts® ."The state of safety in America is perilous," said NSC President and CEO Deborah Hersman. "We cannot afford to sit back while we lose more than 140,000 people because of issues we know how to prevent. This report provides states with a blueprint for saving lives, and we hope lawmakers, civic leaders, public health professionals and safety advocates heed the recommendations outlined within it to make states and communities measurably safer."