Missouri Ranked Near Bottom for Teen Driver Safety
A 2026 report placed Missouri 49th nationally in safety rankings for young drivers.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Missouri ranked 49th overall in a WalletHub study on teen driver safety released in August 2026. The state struggled significantly in legal requirements, placing 50th in the category of driving laws.
Why it matters
The ranking highlights ongoing concerns regarding driver education in Missouri, where formal training is not required to obtain a driver license. This regulatory environment contrasts with states that mandate structured education to improve teen safety.
Missouri ranked 48th in safety and 50th in driving laws, following a period where 27,611 crashes involved drivers under age 21. Teens must complete 30 hours of daytime and 10 hours of nighttime instruction to obtain a license.
The players
Gary Gundy
He operates a private driving school in Columbia that has provided supplemental teen driving instruction for six years.
WalletHub
This personal finance website produces annual research and rankings regarding various state-level metrics in the United States.
The details
Private institutions like the Gary Gundy School of Driving in Columbia offer supplemental lessons covering vehicle controls for $100 per hour. During these sessions, parents are permitted to sit in the backseat to observe the instruction provided by the school.
Timeline
Between 2025 and 2026, 27,611 crashes involved drivers under age 21.
WalletHub completed the teen driver safety study in August 2026.
Culture Shift
The study reflects a broader national trend where state-by-state disparities in licensing laws create uneven safety outcomes for young drivers. As states continue to debate mandatory education, the data shows that legal frameworks remain a primary driver of these regional safety gaps.
Families in Missouri must weigh the state's lack of mandatory driver education against the high cost of private lessons, which run $100 per hour. Parents may need to provide significant oversight during the required instruction permit phase to compensate for the absence of state-led training.
The takeaway
Teenagers in Missouri are responsible for completing their own structured practice hours due to the absence of state-mandated classroom training. Parents are encouraged to utilize resources like professional instruction or supervised practice to help mitigate risks during the permit phase.
Further reading
For more information on educational standards, visit Secondary Education.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KOMU 8.
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Should states require all teenagers to complete professional driver education to obtain a license?
