Deadliest states for teen drivers

A teenager texting on her phone and looking away from the road — istockphoto

Fatal motor vehicle accidents are the number one killer for U.S. teens, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each day, seven teens between ages 16 to 19 die in a fatal car crash. But risk for a fatal car crash in some states appears higher than in others. Erie Insurance worked with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety to analyze data from the U.S. Department of Transportation to find out how states compare in crash rates when teens are behind the wheel. Where does your state stack up in road safety? Keep clicking to find the least safe states for teens, followed by the safest.

Most Dangerous: 10. North Dakota

27.2 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

Starting the top 10 list of most dangerous cities for teen drivers is North Dakota. The city's teen driver death rate exceeds the national crash rate for adults -- 11.3 deaths per 100,000 drivers -- by 141 percent. October was found to be the deadliest month for teen drivers in North Dakota, and crashes were most common on Fridays.

Most Dangerous: 9. Kentucky

27.7 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

In Kentucky, teens were most likely to die in a car crash on Saturdays. November was found to be the deadliest month for teen drivers.

Most Dangerous: 8. South Dakota

south dakota, state capitol — Flickr/denverjeffrey

28.0 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

South Dakota is more dangerous for teen drivers than its neighbor to the north. The state's teen driver death rate surpassed the national average by 149 percent, according to Erie's report.

Most Dangerous: 7. Oklahoma

28.9 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

The deadliest month in Oklahoma for teen drivers was July, and most fatal crashes occurred on a Saturday, the report found.

Most Dangerous: 4. West Virginia (TIE)

huntington, west virginia — Wikimedia Commons

31.2 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

The next states on the deadliest cities for teen drivers list fall into a three-way tie. West Virginia's teen driving death rate exceeds the national average of adult drivers (11.3 deaths per 100,000 drivers) by 177 percent.

Most Dangerous: 4. Arkansas (TIE)

Skyline_of_Little_Rock%2C_Arkansas_-_20050319.jpg — Wikimedia/Bruce W. Stracener

31.2 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

The national average death rate for adult drivers is 11.3 deaths per 100,000 people - Arkansas almost triples that rate for its teen drivers. September was found to be the deadliest month for teens behind the wheel in the state, with September found as the deadliest day.

Most Dangerous: 4. Alabama (TIE)

31.2 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

Alabama's teen driving death rate exceeds the national average of adult drivers by 177 percent. The deadliest month for a teen to drive in Alabama is August, the report found, with Saturday being the deadliest day.

Most Dangerous: 3. Mississippi

The Capitol dome and Greenwood Cemetery in Jackson, Miss. are seen in this image by Flickr user NatalieMaynor — NatalieMaynor/Flickr

32.3 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

The teen driving death rate in Mississippi surpasses that of the national average for adults by 186 percent. The report found May to be the deadliest month for teen drivers.

Most Dangerous: 2. Montana

34.1 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

Saturday and Sunday are the deadliest days for teen drivers in the state of Montana. The state's teen driver crash rate exceeds the national average for adult drivers by over 200 percent.

Most Dangerous: 1. Wyoming

The deadliest place in the United States for teen drivers is Wyoming, according to the report. More than 35 teens per every 100,000 who drive are killed in the state - more than 216 percent higher than the national average for adults. The odds of a teen dying in a car crash appear greatest in June, and Saturdays were found to be the deadliest day of the week.

Which states were found to be the safest? Keep clicking to find out...

Most Safe: 5. New Jersey

New Jersey, state, 4x3, generic — istockphoto

8.9 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

New Jersey's young drivers appear to be staying safe on the Turnpike. The Garden State comes in as the fifth safest in the country for teen drivers, falling 21 percent below the national crash death rates for adults. For teens who do die in crashes, Sundays and the month of July were found to have the most recorded deaths.

Most Safe: 4. Massachusetts

8.8 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

Massachusetts' rate of fatal teen car crashes falls 22 percent below the national rate of 11.3 deaths per 100,000 people.

Most Safe: 3. Rhode Island

rhode island, state sign, generic, 4x3 — iStockPhoto

8.5 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

Rhode Island comes in as the third safest place in the country for teen drivers, falling 24 percent below the national average of crash death rates.

Most Safe: 2. New York

The top of the trees in Central Park and the New York City skyline are seen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's roof garden April 25, 2011. — John Moore/Getty Images

7.6 deaths per 100,000 teen drivers

New York's rate of fatal teen car crashes falls 33 percent below the national crash death rates for adults. July was the deadliest month for teen drivers in New York.

Most Safe: 1. Washington D.C.

Our national's capital may also be the capital of safe teen drivers. About 1.7 teen drivers die in car crashes per 100,000 drivers -- 85 percent below the national rate.

Tips to stay safe

Teens are the least likely to use a seatbelt out of any age group, according to Erie Insurance, and not wearing a belt was found to be the main cause of teen car crash deaths. Besides buckling up, Erie recommends putting away the phone, food or any distractions when behind the wheel. Limiting the number of passengers in a teen's car boosts safety odds: Teens are three times more likely to be in a fatal crash with other passengers in the car than without, according to Erie Insurance. And of course, don't drink and drive. According to the CDC, Americans between the ages of 16 to 20 are 32 times more likely to die in a single-car crash and 13 times more likely to be in a car crash where the driver lives but a passenger dies if their blood alcohol level is over 0.08, the legal limit in most states.

Erie Insurance has a complete list of state rankings for teen drivers.