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

Car accident deaths in Lee County by year

Car accident deaths rose from 91 in 2020 to 105 in 2021 and 110 in 2022. The count then fell to 107 in 2023 and 100 in 2024. The highest count was 110 in 2022, while the lowest was 91 in 2020. The 2024 count was 9 deaths higher than the 2020 count.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The annual share of traffic deaths counted as car accident deaths followed a different pattern: 85.0% in 2020, 90.5% in 2021, 81.5% in 2022, 89.2% in 2023 and 82.0% in 2024. Although 2022 had the highest death count, its share was the lowest. The highest share was recorded in 2021.^{[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 Lee County car accidents

People in cars, SUVs, pickups or vans accounted for 285 deaths, or 55.6% of car accident deaths in Lee County from 2020 through 2024. This was the largest person category and constituted a majority of the deaths. People in other vehicles accounted for 93 deaths, or 18.1%, the smallest category.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Nonoccupants (FARS person-type grouping) accounted for 135 deaths, or 26.3%. These person categories describe the people killed in the selected passenger-vehicle-involved crashes. For readers searching for a car accident lawyer, the grouping to keep in mind is everyone killed in those crashes.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

How the fatal car crashes happened

Angle (side impact) accounted for 158 deaths (30.8%), Head-on for 41 (8.0%), Rear-end for 53 (10.3%) and Sideswipe for 7 (1.4%). Other recorded 3 deaths (0.6%), and Unknown recorded 2 (0.4%).^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Not a collision with a motor vehicle in transport accounted for 249 deaths (48.5%). This describes the first harmful event: examples include striking a pedestrian, cyclist, parked vehicle or fixed object, or a rollover. It does not mean another vehicle had to be physically moving. A motor vehicle in transport can be stopped in traffic. These are car accident deaths grouped by manner of collision.^{[1][2][3][4][5][7]}

Time of day and setting

Daytime accounted for 209 car accident deaths (40.7%), while nighttime accounted for 303 (59.1%) in Lee County from 2020 through 2024. Time of day was unknown for 1 death (0.2%). Nighttime had the larger share of deaths.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

The land-use classification recorded 464 deaths (90.4%) as urban and 43 (8.4%) as rural, with 6 (1.2%) classified as unknown. Urban was the largest land-use category. Crashes that also involved a large truck accounted for 36 car accident deaths, representing 7.0% of the deaths in the passenger-vehicle-involved crashes counted here.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Car accident death rate compared with Florida and the United States

Lee County's car accident death rate was 12.5 average annual deaths per 100,000 residents for 2020 through 2024. That rate was lower than Florida's 13.3 and higher than the United States rate of 10.5. The listed neighboring counties recorded rates of 10.1 in Collier County and 13.2 in Charlotte County. Lee County's rate was higher than Collier County's and lower than Charlotte County's.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Among the listed neighboring counties, Charlotte County had the highest rate and Collier County the lowest. These 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 death counts refer to crash locations.^{[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 Lee County, of any vehicle type, rather than only car accidents. Shares use all traffic deaths: Speeding-related recorded 109 deaths (18.2%); Roadway departure, 172 (28.7%); At an intersection, 242 (40.3%); Pedestrian involved, 122 (20.3%); Motorcycle involved, 139 (23.2%); Hit-and-run, 52 (8.7%); Driver distraction reported, 56 (9.3%); and In a work zone, 8 (1.3%).^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

A crash can have several recorded characteristics, so these rows overlap and do not add to 100%. The 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 a 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. County counts use crash location, not residence. Nonfatal crashes and injuries are excluded.^[8][6][7]

The 2020 through 2023 figures use FARS Final Files. The 2024 Annual Report File can change when replaced with the Final File. Rates divide 2020 through 2024 deaths by the sum of annual Census Bureau population estimates from Vintage 2025, then multiply by 100,000 to give average annual deaths per 100,000 residents. The separate July 1, 2024 population estimate is not the denominator. Rates do not adjust for miles driven or visitors.^[8][6][7]

See also

• Car accident statistics for Collier County, Florida (2020-2024)
• Florida car accident statistics (2020-2024)