Car accident statistics for Bay County, Florida (2020-2024)

Car accident deaths in Bay County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 33 in 2020 to 44 in 2021, then remained at 44 in 2022. The count fell to 18 in 2023 and rose to 28 in 2024. The highest count was shared by 2021 and 2022; the lowest was in 2023. The 2024 count was 5 deaths lower than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

All traffic deaths were 35 in 2020, 47 in 2021, 48 in 2022, 23 in 2023 and 36 in 2024. The share recorded in car accidents declined each year: 94.3% in 2020, 93.6% in 2021, 91.7% in 2022, 78.3% in 2023 and 77.8% in 2024.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Deaths within 30 days in crashes on public roads. 2024 figures come from the FARS Annual Report File and can be revised.

Who died in Bay County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 87 deaths, or 52.1% of car accident deaths during 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category. People in other vehicles accounted for 30 deaths, or 18.0%, the smallest category. Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 50 deaths, or 29.9%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Each category counts deaths in crashes involving a passenger vehicle, with county assignment based on crash location rather than residence. Readers searching for a car accident lawyer should keep these person categories and the crash-location grouping in mind when reading the counts.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) and Head-on each accounted for 39 car accident deaths, or 23.4%. Rear-end accounted for 7 deaths, or 4.2%, while Sideswipe recorded 0 deaths and 0.0%. The largest row, Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, recorded 82 deaths, or 49.1%.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Manner of collision describes the first harmful event. That last row means this event was not a collision between motor vehicles in transport. Examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic; the classification does not require another vehicle to be physically moving.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Nighttime (6 p.m. to 5:59 a.m.) accounted for 88 car accident deaths, or 52.7%, during 2020 through 2024. Daytime (6 a.m. to 5:59 p.m.) accounted for 79 deaths, or 47.3%. The nighttime count was higher than the daytime count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The urban classification recorded 116 deaths, or 69.5%, and the rural classification recorded 51 deaths, or 30.5%. These figures describe the land-use classification of crash locations. Car accident deaths in crashes that also involved a large truck numbered 11, representing 6.6% of the county's car accident deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Florida and the United States

Bay County's car accident death rate was 17.9 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. Florida's rate was 13.3, and the national rate was 10.5. The county rate was higher than both. Listed neighboring Walton County had a rate of 27.7, higher than Bay County's rate.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

The death counts accompanying these rates were 167 for Bay County, 14,871 for Florida, 176,219 for the United States and 115 for Walton County. Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates and multiply by 100,000. They do not adjust for miles driven or visitors, and the deaths are assigned by crash location rather than residence.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Rates divide deaths by the sum of annual Census population estimates, so they show deaths per 100,000 residents per year. They do not adjust for miles driven or for visitors.

Recorded characteristics of all fatal crashes

Recorded characteristics cover all fatal crashes in Bay County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accident crashes. Deaths and shares of all traffic deaths were: Speeding-related, 12 and 6.3%; Roadway departure, 64 and 33.9%; At an intersection, 58 and 30.7%; Pedestrian involved, 38 and 20.1%; Motorcycle involved, 41 and 21.7%; Hit-and-run, 6 and 3.2%; Driver distraction reported, 27 and 14.3%; and In a work zone, 1 and 0.5%.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These characteristics are not findings of fault or cause.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can carry several characteristics, so the rows overlap and do not add to 100%. These are recorded characteristics, not findings of fault.

About these figures

FARS is NHTSA's census of fatal motor vehicle traffic crashes. Inclusion requires a motor vehicle traveling on a trafficway customarily open to the public and a death within 30 days. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded. County counts follow crash location, not the residence of the people killed.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File figures can change when replaced by the Final File. Rates use deaths divided by summed annual Census Bureau population estimates, Vintage 2025, multiplied by 100,000. This gives average annual deaths per 100,000 residents without adjustment for miles driven or visitors. The separately displayed July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the rate denominator.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Florida car accident statistics (2020-2024)