Jackson, MS Car Accident Statistics

In 2014, Mississippi had 560 fatal car accidents. There were 677 motor vehicle fatalities in Mississippi in 2015, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Of those fatalities, 177 involved drunk driving, despite Mississippi law banning people driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. In 2016, while total fatalities increased to 690, drunk driving fatalities decreased to 128. This represented the largest decrease in alcohol-related accidents among all 50 states.

Each year, Jackson ranks high in terms of auto accident deaths in Mississippi. Jackson is home to busy roadways like Interstate 55, Interstate 20, and Interstate 220, and many people from the area commute to and from Jackson for school, work, shopping, and other activities. In 2007, Jackson had 44 fatal accidents and 48 total fatalities. The number of fatal wrecks dropped to 26 in 2008 before jumping to 32 in 2009. The dropped again to 14 in 2013, but by 2014, they were on the rise again, ending up at 22 fatal accidents involving 23 fatalities. Some of these wrecks took place on well-known roads such as Capitol Street, Interstate 55 South, Medgar Evers Boulevard, and Interstate 55 North Frontage Road.

Jackson car accident statistics break down the number of deadly wrecks by month. From 1994-2014, the most fatal accidents took place in March (96), October (93), June (89), August (86), and July (82). The two lightest months were January (57) and February (68).

Fatal car accidents in Mississippi concerned drivers of all ages. According to the American Association of Pediatrics, teens in Mississippi are nearly 10 times more likely to be killed in an interstate or highway accident as compared to teens from other states.

Most Jackson car accidents are caused by some form of driver negligence. Negligence is often defined as a failure to meet the proper standard of care under the circumstances, and in the motor vehicle context, entails failing to drive safely or operate the vehicle with caution. In Mississippi, car wrecks are often caused by distracted driving, texting while driving, drunk driving, speeding, and disregarding traffic signals.