Cars are a significant part of American society. Cars can be necessities, conveniences, or luxuries, depending on the person and situation. Many rely on their vehicles to commute to work and perform essential errands. Others use cars because driving will reach their destination faster than public transit. Some people collect cars and spend their spare time displaying their vehicles in car shows. Statista reports that 90.9% of Americans ages 35 through 39 have driver’s licenses.
While vehicles give drivers a sense of freedom, they also introduce risks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that car crashes in the United States claimed 36,355 lives in 2019, representing more than 50% of the 63,000 unintentional injury deaths in the U.S. that year. Car accidents are also responsible for millions of injuries each year, affecting victims physically, emotionally, and financially. Florida has the third-highest population of all states and attracts millions of tourists annually. With the volume of traffic on Florida roadways, the state’s car accident statistics highlight Floridians’ risks when they’re in transit.
Florida Car Accident Statistics
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles’ (FLHSMV) 2020 report presents the most recent Florida car accident statistics, showing the state had over 401,000 crashes in 2021. This figure includes bicycle and motorcycle accidents and minor crashes. When considering how many car accidents in Florida per year, you should note that only 163,961 accidents resulted in injuries.
How many car accidents per day in Florida?
The 401,533 accidents in Florida in 2021 represent an average of 1,100.09 accidents per day. This total represents an increase from 2020, which averaged 933 accidents per day. In 2021, the state averaged 449 accidents per day involving injuries.
What is the most common location for crashes in Florida?
Although Florida car accident statistics 2020 weren’t available at the time of this study published by Money Geek, the statistics from 2017 through 2019 established that the most dangerous highways in the state included sections of US-19, US-41, SR-816, SR 580, and SR-50. The deadliest sections of these roads included areas in or near Bradenton, New Port Richey, Oakland Parks, Orlando, Port Richey, St. Petersburg, and Tampa.
Related: Tampa Car Accident Attorneys
South Florida Car Accident Statistics for Southeast Florida Counties, 2017–2019
Money Geek’s study of state-wide traffic accidents established that three of Florida’s deadliest counties fall in the southeast. Of Florida’s 67 counties, Miami-Dade had the highest number of fatal accidents and fatalities from 2017 to 2019.
| County | Number of Fatal Accidents | Ranking* | Number of Fatalities | Ranking* |
| Miami-Dade | 825 | 1 | 876 | 1 |
| Broward | 639 | 2 | 677 | 2 |
| Palm Beach | 487 | 5 | 519 | 5 |
| Monroe | 52 | 40 | 56 | 39 (tie) |
What are the leading causes of car accidents in Florida?
Car accidents occur for multiple reasons. Missing street signs or malfunctioning traffic lights can cause accidents. Other crashes may be the result of collisions with animals or driver negligence.
Money Geek’s study found that drunk driving contributed to or caused over 20% of traffic accidents in Florida from 2017 to 2019, while the FLHSMV report noted over 4,500 accidents involving alcohol and 708 accidents involving drugs in 2020.
Speeding and distracted driving were other leading causes of car crashes in Florida from 2017 to 2019. Cell phone use has contributed to the high volume of accidents caused by distracted driving.
Fatigue is another critical issue for drivers. Drivers may fall asleep while driving, causing them to strike pedestrians, other vehicles, animals, or objects. Exhaustion can also reduce response times and make it hard for drivers to focus, increasing the chances of an auto accident.
Weather conditions also cause traffic accidents. Heavy rainfall can flood roads and reduce visibility. Drivers can hydroplane and lose control of their vehicles, causing them to veer off the road or into oncoming traffic when roads are wet. Bright sunlight can also affect visibility, affecting drivers’ ability to see traffic lights and road signs.
Why is it crucial that you know what caused your accident?
Car accidents can cause property damage, physical injuries, trauma, and loss of life. Many accident victims also experience financial hardships and loss of quality of life due to their injuries.
Establishing the accident’s cause determines who’s at fault. You might hire a drunk driving injury lawyer to seek compensation from the at-fault driver if their intoxication caused the crash. Drunk driving injury attorneys have experience establishing negligence from drunk driving. They will fight for you to receive fair compensation for medical costs, property damage, and pain and suffering.
You’d want to consult a truck accident attorney if you were in an accident involving an 18-wheeler or another large company vehicle. The driver might not be solely responsible for the accident if the company had substandard maintenance practices that caused or increased the accident’s severity.
Although nobody wants to be in a car accident, identifying dangerous roadways can prompt you to exercise extra caution to avoid accidents when traveling on those roadways. Hiring an attorney to handle your car accident lawsuit can reduce stress and help resolve financial challenges stemming from your accident.
Sources
Buchholz, K. (2020). Americans Get Driver’s Licenses Later in Life.
Florida Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report 2020. (2021).
Injuries and Violence Are Leading Causes of Death. (2022).
Milnes, D. (2022). Florida’s Deadliest Roads and Fatal Accident Statistics.
Traffic Crash Reports: Crash Dashboard. (2022).
Yellman, M.A., et al. (2022). Motor Vehicle Crash Deaths — United States and 28 Other High-Income Countries, 2015 and 2019.