Florida car accident statistics (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Florida by year

Car accident deaths increased from 2,901 in 2020 to 3,272 in 2021, the highest annual count during the period. The count then fell to 3,064 in 2022, 2,925 in 2023 and 2,709 in 2024. The lowest year was 2024, with 192 fewer deaths than 2020. These annual figures count deaths in qualifying crashes, rather than the number of fatal crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Florida's share of the national car accident death total was 8.7% in 2020 and 8.8% in 2021. It was 8.3% in both 2022 and 2023, then 8.1% in 2024. Across 2020 through 2024, Florida accounted for 8.4% of the national total of 176,219 deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised when NHTSA publishes the final file.

Who died in Florida car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 8,477 deaths, or 57.0% of car accident deaths from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 2,279 deaths, or 15.3%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 4,115 deaths, or 27.7%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category covers people killed in fatal crashes involving a passenger vehicle. The labels follow the specified FARS person and vehicle groupings. In particular, Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) is a classification that can include occupants of parked motor vehicles.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Collision types and setting

By manner of collision, car accident deaths were: Angle (side impact), 3,751; Head-on, 1,688; Rear-end, 1,406; Sideswipe, 337; Other, 27; and Unknown, 37. Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 7,625 deaths. That label describes a first harmful event other than a collision between motor vehicles in transport, such as striking a fixed object or a rollover. Vehicles stopped in traffic can be in transport.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Daytime accounted for 6,134 deaths (41.2%); nighttime accounted for 8,733 (58.7%). Urban locations recorded 11,511 deaths (77.4%), and rural locations recorded 3,248 (21.8%). Unknown time accounted for 4 deaths; unknown land use accounted for 112.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Counties with the most car accident deaths

Miami-Dade County recorded the most car accident deaths, 1,325, followed by Broward County with 1,097 and Hillsborough County with 1,000. Palm Beach County recorded 933 deaths and Orange County 799. The remaining listed counts were Duval County, 723; Polk County, 633; Pinellas County, 542; Volusia County, 520; Lee County, 513; Marion County, 463; Pasco County, 459; Brevard County, 414; Manatee County, 293; and Osceola County, 287.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Death counts and population rates describe different measures. Among the listed counties, Marion County had the highest average annual deaths per 100,000 residents at 23.1, while Miami-Dade County had the lowest at 9.7. These rate rankings apply to the listed counties, not every Florida county. Deaths are assigned to the county where the crash occurred.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Up to 15 counties with the most deaths in the period, largest first. Rates for counties with few deaths change sharply with each death.

How Florida compares with the national rate

Florida's car accident death rate was 13.3, compared with the national rate of 10.5. Both figures measure average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. The corresponding death counts were 14,871 for Florida and 176,219 for the United States. Florida's rate was higher than the national rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The calculation divides deaths during the period by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates, then multiplies by 100,000. It does not adjust for miles driven or visitors. Florida's separately displayed 2024 population estimate of 23,265,838 is not the denominator used for this rate. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep the grouping in view: these deaths are assigned by crash location.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

About these figures

FARS is a census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and an occupant or nonoccupant death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. State and county counts follow crash location, not the home addresses of those killed.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 records are FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File remains subject to revision when NHTSA publishes its Final File. Rates use summed annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025 to express average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors; the separately shown July 1, 2024 population is not their denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• FARS Annual Report File and Final File
• Car accident statistics for Miami-Dade County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Broward County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Hillsborough County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Palm Beach County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Car accident statistics for Orange County, Florida (2020-2024)