To find the deadliest roads in Wyoming, MoneyGeek analyzed the 2,795 fatal crashes that occurred in the state from 2018–2020, the most recent years of currently available data. The analysis looked at 961 roads within Wyoming's 146,465 miles of road and examined how factors like drunk driving, speeding, distracted driving and time of year contributed to the number of deadly accidents. The study also outlines summarized data for every county in the state and identifies the deadliest road in each. We found that, overall, fatal accidents in Wyoming are on the rise: from 2019 to 2020, the number of fatal crashes increased by 6.3%.
Wyoming Fatal Accident Study:
Wyoming’s Deadliest Roads and Fatal Accident Statistics
Between 2017 and 2019, there were 325 fatal crashes in Wyoming. MoneyGeek analyzed data about these accidents to determine the deadliest roads in the state. We also identified the various factors that contributed to these incidents.
Doug Milnes, CFA
Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets. Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
MoneyGeek is dedicated to providing trustworthy information to help you make informed financial decisions. Each article is edited, fact-checked and reviewed by industry professionals to ensure quality and accuracy.
Editorial Policy and StandardsUpdated: September 5, 2024
Doug Milnes, CFA
Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets. Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
MoneyGeek is dedicated to providing trustworthy information to help you make informed financial decisions. Each article is edited, fact-checked and reviewed by industry professionals to ensure quality and accuracy.
Editorial Policy and StandardsUpdated: September 5, 2024
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Key Findings
- I-25 in Platte County, between Exit 100 and Exit 94, is Wyoming's deadliest stretch of road.
- Speeding was the most common factor in fatal accidents, contributing to 32% of crashes. Approximately **31% **of fatal accidents were related to drunk driving.
- Distracted driving was involved in just 7% of accidents. A MoneyGeek study ranked Wyoming as 25th in the U.S. for distracted driving.
- June had the highest number of deadly crashes of any month. July (37) and September (36) had the next two most accidents.
- More fatal accidents occurred in Laramie than in any other county. Most of these crashes occurred on 1-80 and involved drunk driving (11) and speeding (7).
10 Deadliest Road Stretches in Wyoming
- 1. I-25 between Exit 100 and Exit 94Cities:Platte County
- 4Fatal Accidents
- 4fatalities
- 3Crashes Per Mile
- 1.3 milesdistance
- (42.31899167, -105.04670559999998)start
- (42.33839722, -105.04556670000001)end
- [ 0 15 16 20]points
- 12ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Platte'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-25TWAY_ID
SHARE - 2. SR-137 from Northern Arapahoe Rd. to Miller Ln.Cities:Fremont County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 7fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 4.1 milesdistance
- (42.98320278, -108.44810559999999)start
- (42.98308889, -108.52803059999998)end
- [0 1 2]points
- 2ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Fremont'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- SR-137TWAY_ID
SHARE - 3. I-80 from Exit 228 to Exit 235Cities:Carbon County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 4fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 2.2 milesdistance
- (41.74225278, -106.86028329999999)start
- (41.74123889, -106.8180278)end
- [47 49 50]points
- 4ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Carbon'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-80TWAY_ID
SHARE - 4. I-25 from Exit 73 to Exit 70Cities:Platte County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 4fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 3.0 milesdistance
- (41.91938889, -104.93541940000001)start
- (41.96046111, -104.9513528)end
- [ 7 19 24]points
- 3ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Platte'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-25TWAY_ID
SHARE - 5. I-80 from Exit 272 to Elk Mountain Arlington Rd.Cities:Carbon County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 2Crashes Per Mile
- 2.0 milesdistance
- (41.6105, -106.2319)start
- (41.5967, -106.1984)end
- [ 5 21 24]points
- 5ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Carbon'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-80TWAY_ID
SHARE - 6. I-80 from Exit 30 to Exit 34Cities:Uinta County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 3.3 milesdistance
- (41.33721111, -110.4082111)start
- (41.32557222, -110.46916940000001)end
- [33 34 36]points
- 3ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Uinta'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-80TWAY_ID
SHARE - 7. I-80 from Exit 335 to Exit 339Cities:Laramie County | Albany County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 3.4 milesdistance
- (41.1045, -105.2321)start
- (41.1228, -105.2929)end
- [10 19 27]points
- 3ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Laramie', 'Albany'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-80TWAY_ID
SHARE - 8. I-80 from Exit 99 to Exit 104Cities:Rock Springs
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 4.7 milesdistance
- (41.61, -109.2164)start
- (41.5671, -109.2876)end
- [ 6 22 28]points
- 2ordering
- {'Rock Springs', 'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Sweetwater'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-80TWAY_ID
SHARE - 9. I-25 from Exit 165 to Deer Creek Rd.Cities:Converse County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 2Crashes Per Mile
- 1.6 milesdistance
- (42.8373, -105.8609)start
- (42.83675, -105.89245559999999)end
- [ 6 11 12]points
- 6ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Converse'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- I-25TWAY_ID
SHARE - 10. US-26 from Forest Rd. 31045 to Forest Rd. 31055ACities:Lincoln County
- 3Fatal Accidents
- 3fatalities
- 1Crashes Per Mile
- 3.7 milesdistance
- (43.1966, -110.8868)start
- (43.2104, -110.8161)end
- [3 6 7]points
- 2ordering
- {'Not Applicable'}localities
- {'Lincoln'}counties
- TRUEintersect
- US-26TWAY_ID
SHARE
Drunk Driving Involved in 31% of Fatal Accidents
Between 2017 and 2019, there were 325 fatal accidents recorded in Wyoming. One hundred of these were related to drunk driving.
It’s never a good idea to get behind the wheel after drinking, no matter how sober you may feel. A blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.8% means you’re considered legally intoxicated in Wyoming. However, even a BAC of just 0.2% impairs your driving ability.
Even if drunk driving doesn’t result in fatalities, it can lead to other costly consequences. The state may suspend your license and restrict your driving privileges. Worse, you may have to spend time in jail. It also means less affordable car insurance in Wyoming. Drivers with DUIs on their records are required to secure SR-22 insurance in Wyoming. This type of coverage has higher costs than a standard policy.
Speeding Is a Factor in 32% of Fatal Crashes
MoneyGeek’s analysis showed that speeding contributed 105 or 32% of fatal accidents in Wyoming between 2017 and 2019. The effects of speeding are harmful to the driver, their vehicle and the surrounding environment. Speeding decreases the amount of time you have to react to a hazardous situation, such as needing to stop suddenly. It also increases your car’s stopping distance and makes safety structures on the road like guardrails or concrete barriers less effective.
Distracted Driving Contributed to 7% of Fatal Accidents
From 2017 to 2019, Wyoming had 24 fatal accidents involving distracted driving. That’s just 7% of all recorded incidents in the state. MoneyGeek’s worst states for distracted driving study found that the state ranks 25th in the U.S. for distracted driving fatalities.
June Had More Fatal Accidents Than Any Other Month
According to MoneyGeek’s analysis, June had a higher number of deadly crashes than any other month in the year. Based on our findings, 40 fatal accidents occurred during this month — or 12.3% of all crashes resulting in deaths within three years. July and September also had high numbers of accidents, with 37 (11.4%) and 36 (11.1%) deadly crashes, respectively.
Driving Safely Protects You, Others and Your Wallet
When you practice safe driving, you’re protecting yourself, your loved ones and everyone else on Wyoming’s roadways. Cautious driving helps you avoid crashes, which can be dangerous and costly. If you do get into an accident, having affordable full coverage auto insurance is crucial since it protects you and your loved ones against significant financial loss after a crash.
For full coverage, the average cost of car insurance in Wyoming is $851 annually. This annual premium is also how much car insurance in Cheyenne, Wyoming’s largest city, costs. If you live in another part of the state, your insurance rates may vary.
Your address isn’t the only factor insurers consider when setting premiums. Car insurance costs may be higher or lower depending on other elements of your driver profile, such as your age or driving history. Insurance rates also vary between insurers — comparing quotes from several companies can help you find the cheapest insurance option available.
Fatal Accidents and Most Dangerous Roads: County Breakdown
There were 153 fatal crashes in the top-five counties for deadly accidents in the state: that’s about 40% of the total number of recorded incidents in Wyoming.
Of the 23 counties included in MoneyGeek’s study, Laramie had the most recorded fatal crashes at 35. Most of these happened along I-80 and involved drunk driving (11) and speeding (7).
Methodology
MoneyGeek analyzed 2017, 2018 and 2019's fatality data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's FARS (fatal accident reporting system) database. Currently, 2019 is the most recent data available in the system.
About Doug Milnes, CFA
Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.
Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.
sources
- U.S Department of Transportation. "Highway Statistics Series." Accessed January 14, 2022.
- National Safety Council Injury Facts. "Speeding." Accessed January 4, 2022.