Key Takeaways
- Oregon scores 80 out of 100 on the national crash accountability scorecard.
- Oregon classifies hit-and-run as a felony for any injury and prosecutes vehicular homicide under general manslaughter law, earning perfect scores of 20 out of 20 in both categories.
- Oregon requires both uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) and personal injury protection (PIP) coverage, scoring 20 out of 20, but its DUI penalties are classified as moderate, scoring only 10 out of 20.
For Oregon residents involved in a serious crash, the state’s legal framework offers some of the strongest protections in the country. A new 50-state scorecard examining how well each state holds dangerous drivers accountable finds that Oregon earns a score of 80 out of 100, tying for 1st in the nation alongside Maine, New York, and Virginia. But a closer look at the data reveals that even a top-scoring state has areas where its protections fall short of the most comprehensive standards.
An analysis by Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers evaluated all 50 states across five key dimensions of crash accountability: hit-and-run penalty severity, DUI penalty strictness, vehicular homicide law strength, minimum bodily injury liability coverage requirements, and uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) and personal injury protection (PIP) mandates. Each category was scored on a scale of 0 to 20, producing a composite accountability score out of 100 for every state.
Top 10 States With the Strongest Crash Accountability Laws
States With the Highest Accountability Scores
| State | Hit-and-Run Penalty | Hit-and-Run Penalty Score (0-20) | DUI Penalty Severity | DUI Penalty Severity Score (0-20) | Vehicular Homicide Law | Vehicular Homicide Law Score (0-20) | Min BI Liability ($/person) | Insurance Score (0-20) | UM/UIM + PIP Required? | UM/PIP Score (0-20) | TOTAL SCORE (100) |
| Maine | Felony (Serious Injury) | 15 | Strict | 15 | General manslaughter | 20 | $50,000 | 20 | UM required | 10 | 80 |
| New York | Felony (Serious Injury) | 15 | Strictest | 20 | Specific statute | 15 | $25,000 | 10 | Both | 20 | 80 |
| Oregon | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Moderate | 10 | General manslaughter | 20 | $25,000 | 10 | Both | 20 | 80 |
| Virginia | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Strict | 15 | Specific statute | 15 | $50,000 | 20 | UM required | 10 | 80 |
| Alaska | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Strict | 15 | General manslaughter | 20 | $50,000 | 20 | Neither | 0 | 75 |
| Connecticut | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Strictest | 20 | Specific statute | 15 | $25,000 | 10 | UM required | 10 | 75 |
| Michigan | Felony (Serious Injury) | 15 | Strict | 15 | Specific statute | 15 | $50,000 | 20 | PIP required | 10 | 75 |
| Minnesota | Felony (Serious Injury) | 15 | Moderate | 10 | Specific statute | 15 | $30,000 | 15 | Both | 20 | 75 |
| Missouri | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Strict | 15 | General manslaughter | 20 | $25,000 | 10 | UM required | 10 | 75 |
| Illinois | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 | Strict | 15 | Specific statute | 15 | $25,000 | 10 | UM required | 10 | 70 |
Four states, Maine, New York, Oregon and Virginia, lead with scores of 80. Alaska, Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota and Missouri follow at 75, while Illinois scores 70. Maine and Oregon have broad manslaughter laws, while New York and Connecticut impose the strictest DUI penalties.
Looking at the study, David Rosen, COO and CSO at Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers, commented,
“Oregon’s score of 80 out of 100 reflects a strong commitment to crash accountability, particularly in hit-and-run enforcement and vehicular homicide law. But even in a top-scoring state, moderate DUI penalties and a lower minimum liability requirement can leave gaps in crash victim protections. Understanding the specific protections your state provides, and where they stop, is essential for anyone involved in a serious crash.”
Oregon’s Complete Scorecard Breakdown
How Oregon Scores Across All Five Categories
| Category | Oregon’s Classification | Score (out of 20) |
| Hit-and-Run Penalty | Felony (Any Injury) | 20 |
| DUI Penalty Severity | Moderate | 10 |
| Vehicular Homicide Law | General manslaughter | 20 |
| Min BI Liability ($/person) | $25,000 | 10 |
| UM/UIM + PIP Required? | Both | 20 |
| TOTAL SCORE | 80 |
Oregon scores 20/20 for hit-and-run penalty severity, vehicular homicide law, and UM/UIM and PIP requirements. The state earns 10/20 for DUI penalty severity and minimum bodily injury liability insurance ($25,000 per person), giving it a composite score of 80/100.
Methodology
The study assessed all 50 states across five crash-accountability categories, scoring each from 0 to 20 for a total of 100. It examined hit-and-run, DUI, vehicular homicide, liability insurance, and UM/UIM and PIP requirements. Higher scores indicate stronger protections and accountability. The findings may change as states update their laws and insurance requirements. The analysis is intended to highlight differences in how states address crash accountability and victim protection.
Data Sources
Hit-and-Run Felony Classification by State, Second Chance Info:
https://secondchanceinfo.com/criminal-law/is-hit-and-run-a-felony
Criminal Status of State Drunken Driving Laws, National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL):
https://www.ncsl.org/transportation/criminal-status-of-state-drunken-driving-laws
Vehicular Homicide and Vehicular Manslaughter Laws by State, DrivingLaws.org:
https://www.drivinglaws.org/topics/vehicular-homicide-and-vehicular-manslaughter
Research Dataset:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Nd-eVHkbxAtxDmv8tg5VsHRkmujETAhNiua6RGADetw/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Study By:
https://kuzyklaw.com/bakersfield/bakersfield-personal-injury-lawyers/
About Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers
Kuzyk Personal Injury & Car Accident Lawyers is a California-based personal injury law firm specializing in intersection accidents and traffic-injury cases. The firm represents victims of negligent driving and unsafe roadway design while using data-driven research to inform public discussion and promote safer transportation systems nationwide.
