Why Montana’s Empty Highways Are Quietly Killing Drivers

I've driven between Billings and Miles City more times than I can count, and there's a stretch out there I could describe with my eyes closed. Somewhere past Hysham, the fields go on forever, the highway straightens out, and there's a real temptation to see what the truck can do. Turns out that feeling has a name, and Montana ranks near the top of the country for it.

Montana Named Top 5 State for Deadliest Driving Habits

A new analysis from DeHoyos Accident Attorneys, built on five years of federal crash data, puts Montana fifth in the nation on its Deadliest Driver Habits Index. The state posted 12.87 speeding-related fatalities and 2.23 distracted driving fatalities per every 100,000 licensed drivers between 2020 and 2024, adding up to a composite score of 51.31 out of 100.

Only New Mexico, Wyoming, Louisiana, and South Carolina scored worse. New Mexico topped the list with a perfect 100, driven by the highest rate in the country for both categories.

The Hidden Dangers of Speeding on Rural Montana Highways

Out here, the danger isn't traffic. It's the opposite. When you can drive twenty miles on Highway 12 without passing another car, your brain starts treating the speed limit like a suggestion. I've caught myself doing it, easing up past 75 on a straightaway near Broadview, telling myself there's nobody around to hit.

Except there's always something. A deer stepping out of the borrow pit at dusk. A combine pulling onto the highway during harvest. Black ice you don't see until the truck in front of you starts sliding sideways. Montana roads reward confidence right up until the moment they don't.

National Traffic Fatalities: How Speeding and Distracted Driving Compare

The researchers found that seven of the ten worst-scoring states sit in the South or Mountain West, where long rural highways and higher average speeds are simply part of daily driving. New Mexico's distracted driving rate came in 73 percent higher than the second-place state, Louisiana. A few seconds spent looking at a phone at highway speed covers roughly the length of a football field, unwatched.

Essential Rural Highway Driving Safety Tips

None of the fixes here are complicated. Put the phone in the glovebox before you pull out of the driveway. Leave five minutes earlier than you think you need to. Ease off the gas on the straightaways, especially at dusk when the deer start moving.

My kid rides in that truck with me plenty. That's reason enough to slow down on the stretch past Hysham, and it's probably reason enough for you too.

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The next time you're behind the wheel and tempted to check a notification or push a little harder on the accelerator, think about who is waiting for you at home. Getting there safely is always more important than getting there fast.