
Montana is a dangerous place to be driving when the weather turns ugly.
That's one of the key finding of a study prepared by a Las Vegas law firm.
Over five years, weather-related conditions contributed to 41,879 fatal crashes nationwide, but the danger doesn't fall equally. Some states are seven times deadlier than others when the sky turns hostile.
That's according to an analysis by the Ace Law Group, which examined five years of federal crash data (2019 through 2023) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). By calculating weather-related fatal crash rates per 100,000 residents, the study reveals which states pose the greatest risk when conditions deteriorate.
Montana's rate of 7.11 weather-related fatal crashes per 100,000 residents is nearly three times the national average of 2.53. The state's combination of rural highways, extreme winter conditions, and limited emergency response infrastructure may contribute to this elevated risk, according to the Ace Law Group.
The safest states share common characteristics: denser road networks with shorter distances between emergency services, experienced winter driving populations, and robust snow removal infrastructure. Rhode Island's rate of 0.92 per 100,000 is 64% below the national average.
More than half of U.S. states (28 of 50) have weather-related fatal crash rates exceeding the national average of 2.53 per 100,000 residents.

ArcBest wins 12th Security Award
ArcBest, an integrated logistics company, today announced its less-than-truckload carrier ABF Freight has received the 2025 American Trucking Associations’ Excellence in Security Award.
ABF is the first carrier to earn the award 12 times and the only carrier to receive it three consecutive years. ABF previously received the ATA Excellence in Security award in 2024, 2023, 2019, 2016, 2015, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2004 and 2001.
The ATA Excellence in Security Award is a nationally recognized honor focused exclusively on security performance within the trucking industry. Presented annually by the ATA’s Transportation Security Council, the award recognizes one motor carrier that demonstrates sustained leadership in security practices and sets the standard for protecting its employees, customers’ freight, facilities and equipment.
Truckstop acquires Wize Load
Truckstop.com recently announced its acquisition of Wize Load, a provider of heavy haul rate intelligence tools.
Teruckstop.com said the acquisition is part of its continued investment in heavy haul, oversized, and specialized freight.
Truckstop Heavy Haul Rates, formerly Wize Load, gives brokers a faster way to estimate pricing by bringing lane data, permit rules, and equipment requirements together in one place. Customers rely on this data every day to quote complex freight faster, win more loads, and protect their margins.
“This acquisition reflects our long-term focus on freight that requires more planning than standard truckload,” said Scott Moscrip, founder and CEO of Truckstop.com.
Truckstop will continue offering Truckstop Heavy Haul Rates with the same login and workflow customers use today, while expanding tools for heavy haul, open deck, and specialized freight as part of its broader focus on helping the industry price, plan, and move complex loads with confidence.
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