According to recent report from the Auto Insurance Center, Connecticut is one of the safest states for drivers in the country. The report sought to create a list ranking all states from the safest to the deadliest for drivers based on national fatal car accident data from the years 1994 through 2013.

According to the report, Connecticut’s fatal car accident rate came in at 15.43 fatal crashes per 10,000 people, which made it one of the safest states in the country for drivers, but not one of the top five safest states.

However, the top five safest states for drivers are all found in the Northeast, despite the winter weather that often complicates driving conditions. Massachusetts was ranked the safest state for drivers, with a fatality rate of 11.63 fatal crashes per 10,000 people.

On the other hand, the five most dangerous states for drivers are all located in the south and west. Mississippi was ranked the deadliest state and had a fatality rate of 48.27 fatal car accidents per 10,000 people.

Auto Insurance Center noted that the average speed limit on major highways appears to be a factor when comparing the highway safety of states in the north and the states in the south and west.

States in the Northeast usually maintain a speed limit of 65 mph, but states in the south and west usually allow speed limits of 70 and 75 mph on major highways. So the next time you are cursing the 65 mph speed limit on a Connecticut highway, remember it could be keeping you safe.

The Auto Insurance Center said that the landscape in the different areas of the country may also affect highway fatality rates. Interestingly, highway fatalities seem to be more common in rural areas.