The Deadliest Roads

Driving risk can vary significantly depending on where you are and the quality of the roads. Crash and fatality figures are an important part of the picture, but weather conditions and local road network design can also impact journeys.

To find out more, car insurance comparison service iSelect conducted a study into the deadliest roads around the world, examining where drivers face the greatest combined road risks in Australia, the US and the UK. Each country was analysed separately, rather than directly comparing Australia with the US or the UK.

The index equally weights three core components Crash and Fatality Risk, Weather Risk Conditions, and Road Infrastructure Risk, with each factor accounting for 33.3% of the final score. The regions were assigned a Road Risk Index score and out of 100, based on their overall performance across these measures, while also factoring in changes in crash rates compared to the previous year to capture both current risk levels and emerging trends.

Australia’s deadliest states and territories for driving

Australia’s deadliest roads were identified by analysing road fatalities, weather risk and road infrastructure across each territory and state. We used BITRE fatality data and assessed road crash rates per 100,000 residents and year-on-year changes in road deaths which was looking at 2024 to 2025. We measured weather risks by the frequency of extreme conditions, including heavy rain, high winds, icy days and extreme heat. Road infrastructure was evaluated by using road density, speed limits and intersection density. Each category was weighted equally to produce a final Road Risk Index score out of 100, with higher scores indicating regions where drivers may face greater overall risk on the road.

1. Northern Territory: 60.14

The Northern Territory is Australia’s highest-risk location for drivers. While its road safety figures have improved since our previous study in 2025, it still records the highest crash rate by far, at 14.21 per 100,000 people.

The crash rate has fallen 36.7% year on year, but weather remains a major contributor to its position, with a Weather Risk Score of 72.07, the highest in Australia. The region recorded 49 heavy rain days and 255 extreme heat days during the study period, highlighting the frequency of challenging driving conditions that can increase road risks.

2. Western Australia: 46.33

Western Australia ranks second, driven by a combination of crash rate, weather conditions and road infrastructure. Its Infrastructure Risk Score is 58.13 out of 100, which is relatively high compared to other Australian states and territories. WA reported 5.98 crashes per 100,000 residents, which was the third highest in Australia.

3. Victoria: 42.28

Victoria has made one of the most notable changes in this year’s ranking, moving up from fifth to third for road risks. Its Infrastructure Risk Score of 70.23 is the highest in Australia. The state recorded Australia’s highest road density and intersection density, contributing to a more complex driving environment and helping push Victoria into the nation’s top three most hazardous regions for drivers.

4. Queensland: 41.86

Queensland ranks fourth, recording an Infrastructure Risk Score of 60.02, which is the second-highest in Australia, contributing to a more complex driving environment for Queenslanders. While the state’s road fatality rate remained relatively stable year-on-year, its infrastructure and weather scores helped push Queensland into the top half of the rankings.

5. Tasmania: 37.23

Tasmania enters the top five after ranking seventh in the 2025 study. It also recorded the largest year-on-year increase in road crashes in Australia, at 38.7% compared to the previous year. While Tasmania’s Infrastructure Risk Score was one of the lowest in the country, it recorded 7.43 crashes per 100,000 residents, the second highest in Australia. The state also recorded 25 high-wind days during the study period, which added to challenging driving conditions and contributed to its rise in the rankings.

Which US states rank highest for road risk?

The US Deadliest Road Index was calculated by analysing three key factors across all 50 states: crash and fatality risk, weather conditions, and road infrastructure. Crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) was assessed using crashes per 100,000 residents and year-on-year changes (2024-2025), while weather risk was measured using the frequency of icy days, heavy rainfall, high winds and extreme heat. Road infrastructure was evaluated using OpenStreetMap data, examining road density, average speed limits and intersection density in major population centres. Each category was converted into a score out of 100 and equally weighted to produce a final Road Risk Index score, with higher scores indicating states where drivers may face greater overall risk on the roads.

1. Mississippi: 57.43

Mississippi remains the highest-risk US state for dangerous roads. It recorded a crash rate of 22.95 per 100,000 people, the highest in the dataset, with a 1.6% increase on the previous year. It also reported the highest Crash Risk Score at 87.53.

2. Texas: 54.76

Texas ranks second for the most dangerous roads in the US. Its Infrastructure Risk Score of 84.93 is substantially higher than its crash and weather scores, showing how road network characteristics can influence the overall ranking. Texas recorded the highest road density and highest intersection density in the study while also experiencing 188 extreme heat days, the most of any US state.

3. Alabama: 51.53

Alabama rises into the top three, recording a crash rate of 17.23 per 100,000 people. Its Crash Risk Score stands at 63.94. Alongside the high crash rate, the state experienced 113 extreme heat days and 42 heavy rain days during the study period. Its Infrastructure Risk Score of 56.78 also contributed to its position, highlighting a combination of crash outcomes, weather conditions and road network characteristics.

4. Arkansas: 51.32

Arkansas ranks fourth, with a crash rate of 17.56 per 100,000 people. This is slightly higher than the rate recorded in third-placed Alabama. The state posted the fourth-highest Crash Risk Score in the country, while weather conditions remained a notable contributor, including 40 heavy rain days and 94 extreme heat days throughout the year. Together, these factors helped keep Arkansas among the highest-risk roads in the US.

5. Louisiana: 50.45

Louisiana completes the US top five despite its crash rate falling 6.6% year on year. Its position shows how a decline in crashes doesn’t necessarily translate directly into a lower overall ranking when weather and infrastructure are also considered. The state recorded one of the highest Weather Risk Scores in the country (39.48), driven by 41 heavy rain days and 139 extreme heat days, while its Infrastructure Risk Score of 58.69 was also among the highest.

Additional findings

Other notable movements have also occurred in the index. Tennessee, which placed third in the previous campaign, now ranks sixth following a 10.3% year-on-year fall in crashes. Wyoming’s ranking dropped from fourth to 14^th with a 15.7% decrease in its crash rate.

The weather rankings saw a different pattern. Alaska records the highest Weather Risk Score in the US at 55.56, due to 175 icy days, but was ranked 24^th overall. Maine saw the largest increase in crashes, up 31.5% year-on-year, with 11.80 per 100,000 residents, while Rhode Island recorded the largest decline at 28.4% with 4.30 per 100,000 residents.

Which UK locations rank highest for the deadliest roads?

The UK’s top five highest-risk locations were Bradford, Leeds, Milton Keynes, London and Doncaster. While the rankings are based on the latest available collision data comparing 2023 to 2024 and are not directly comparable with current-year conditions, the findings highlight how crash rates, changes in collision numbers, weather patterns and road infrastructure can all contribute differently to overall road risk across each location.

1. Bradford: 60.52

Bradford ranked as the UK’s highest risk location for drivers, recording the highest crash rate in the country at 333.31 per 100,000 people. Although the crash rate has fallen by 2.5% year-on-year (2023 to 2024), the area’s Crash Risk score of 80.84 remains the highest in the study. Combined with a Road Infrastructure Risk Score of 53.39 and a Weather Risk Score of 47.31, Bradford’s consistently high collision rate has ranked it first for the Deadliest Roads in the UK index.

2. Leeds: 53.95

Leeds follows closely behind in second place, with a crash rate of 328.57 per 100,000 people. Crash numbers have remained relatively stable, falling by just 0.1% year-on-year, resulting in a Crash Risk Score of 80.27. While its weather risk was lower than several other locations its Road Infrastructure Risk Score was 54 and contributed to a strong overall score for the Deadliest Roads in the UK.

3. Milton Keynes: 49.08

Milton Keynes ranks third despite recording a significantly lower crash rate than Bradford and Leeds of 137.86 per 100,000 people. Crashes also increased by 8.2% year-on-year, suggesting road safety outcomes have worsened since the previous year. Its position was also influenced by a Road Infrastructure Risk Score of 72.45, the highest in the UK.

4. London: 47.81

London was ranked fourth, and as the UK’s most populous city, its position was driven largely by infrastructure factors. The capital recorded a Road Infrastructure Risk Score of 66.67, the second highest in the country, which reflects the density and complexity of the road networks. Although the crash rate fell by 8.4% year-on-year (the largest reduction among the top five), London’s combination of infrastructure and collision levels kept it among the highest-risk locations for the deadliest roads in UK.

5. Doncaster: 47.34

Doncaster completes the top five recording a crash rate of 329.45 per 100,000 people, the second highest in the country. While crashes have fallen by 6.8% year-on-year, the area’s high collision rate remained a significant contributor to its overall place in the index.