The higher the likelihood in a given location that an automobile will be in an accident or stolen, the more it's going to cost drivers who live there and experience these losses. That's the conclusion ValuePenguin reached recently when it surveyed each of the 50 states with hopes of determining which are "the riskiest states for drivers' wallets." "Car crashes and thefts can boost insurance rates by 18% and 20%, respectively, on average," writes ValuePenguin Data Writer Andrew Hurst. "These increases, along with the probability of each happening, determine the riskiest states for drivers' wallets." He adds that the most expensive states of all for drivers are those where car crashes are statistically most likely to result in a fatality. The slideshow above illustrates the 10 states that ValuePenguin determined are the riskiest when it comes to driver costs after an accident or auto theft. Motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. in 2010 cost almost $1 trillion in loss of productivity and loss of life, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study that was released in May 2014. ISO, a Verisk Analytics company, reports that in 2013, the average auto liability claim for property damage was $3,231; the average auto liability claim for bodily injury was $15,443. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that the most common reasons for car, truck and motorcycle accidents are: |

• Alcohol-impaired driving;
• Speeding;
• Red-light running;
• Fatigue; and
• Distracted driving (including mobile phone use).

"When there's a greater chance of a deadly car crash or theft," writes ValuePenguin's Andrew Hurst, "there's more risk that drivers will feel the brunt of higher insurance costs." See also: |

• These 10 cities have the most auto accidents
• Top states for animal collision claims
• Top 15 states for deadly motor vehicle accidents