New Jersey ranked third in the nation for the percentage of fatal crashes involving aggressive or careless driving behaviors in 2024, according to a new analysis by LendingTree.
The report found that 288 of the state’s 638 fatal crashes last year — or 45.1% — involved at least one unsafe driving behavior, including aggressive driving, careless driving, inattentive operation, improper driving, or driving without due care. Only Arkansas (47.2%) and Louisiana (46.2%) recorded higher percentages.
Nationwide, men were involved in nearly 79% of these fatal crashes, while Millennials accounted for the largest share of drivers involved, followed by Generation Z. Combined, those two age groups represented nearly 60% of aggressive or careless driving-related fatal crashes.
The analysis also found that the Chevrolet Silverado and Ford F-150 were the vehicle models most frequently involved in these crashes, a trend researchers said may reflect both their popularity and the increased severity of crashes involving larger pickup trucks.
Safety experts encourage drivers to reduce distractions, obey speed limits, maintain safe following distances, avoid escalating confrontations with other motorists, take breaks on long trips, and use driver-assistance features while remaining attentive behind the wheel.
