No state does enough to protect residents from preventable deaths, report says

A report released Tuesday by the National Safety Council (NSC) shows that no state goes far enough to protect residents from preventable death and injuries, which could occur on the road, at work or in the comfort of one's home. 

The study graded each state for safety measures. None of the 50 states received an "A" rating. 

Seven states -- Maryland, Illinois, Maine, Oregon, Connecticut, California and Washington -- received a "B" rating. Eleven states -- Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona, South Carolina, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Mississippi, Idaho and Missouri -- received an "F" rating overall. 

"The cultural Novocain has to wear off," said Deborah Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council, in a statement. "Safety is no accident. We lose more than 140,000 people because of events we know how to prevent. This report provides states with a blueprint for saving lives, and we hope lawmakers, civic leaders, public health professionals and safety advocates use it to make their communities measurably safer." 

The report also evaluated each state within three sections -- road safety, home and community safety and workplace safety. 

Illinois, Louisiana, Washington, D.C., Delaware and Maine are considered the safest states for road safety, while Wyoming, Arizona, Missouri, South Dakota and Montana are the worst. 

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Maryland, Connecticut, California, New Mexico and Massachusetts ranked highest for home and community safety. Utah, Missouri, Idaho, South Carolina and Mississippi were found to be the least safe. 

Illinois, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota and Washington, D.C., were rated the highest for workplace safety, but Missouri, South Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming and Kansas were the lowest. 

The report was released to mark the end of National Safety Month.