What parts of Florida have the most fatal accidents? To answer this question, researchers from Consumer Affairs used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System to identify the most dangerous stretches of road in Florida. The researchers studied data gathered between 2018 and 2022, and they ranked Florida counties based on their populations. Here are 10 places in Florida where it would be wise to pay extra attention behind the wheel.
U.S. Highway 19 in Pinellas County
The 30 or so miles of U.S. Highway 19 that run through St. Petersburg and Clearwater in Pinellas County is the most dangerous stretch or road in Florida. Almost 100 road users were killed on this notorious stretch of road between 2018 and 2022, but steps are being taken to make U.S. Highway 19 safer. Intersections are slowly being eliminated as U.S. Highway 19 is converted into a controlled access roadway, which should reduce fatalities in the future.
U.S. Highway 19 in Pasco County
This stretch of U.S. Highway 19 was once named the most dangerous road in the country by NBC. That was when about 50 people were being killed each year on this stretch of road. Fatalities have fallen on U.S. Highway 19 in Pasco County since then, but they have not fallen by much. Accidents on this stretch of road claimed 68 lives between 2018 and 2022, and many of the road users who were killed were pedestrians.
Interstate 95 in Broward County
Fatal accidents on interstates are more likely to involve drunk drivers than pedestrians or cyclists. Between 2018 and 2022, 16% of the 62 road users killed on Interstate 95 in Broward County lost their lives in an accident caused by an impaired driver.
State Road 50 in Orange County
The data suggests that State Road 50 in Orange County is a stretch of road where motorists do not pay much attention to traffic laws. Car accidents claimed 61 lives on this stretch of road between 2018 and 2022, and almost half of the drivers who caused those crashes were either drunk, distracted or speeding.
U.S. Highway 1 in Brevard County
The stretch of U.S. Highway 1 that runs through Melbourne and Cocoa Beach in Brevard County was the scene of accidents that caused 60 deaths and dozens of injuries between 2018 and 2022. This six-lane highway has frequent intersections and runs parallel with Interstate 95.
U.S. Highway 41 in Hillsborough County
One in 10 of the accidents that killed 59 road users on U.S. Highway 1 in Hillsborough County between 2018 and 2022 involved a speeding driver, and 19% of them involved a motorist impaired by drugs or alcohol.
U.S. Highway 41 in Lee County
Fatal accidents on U.S. Highway 41 in Lee County are alcohol-related about 25% of the time. Speeding is also common on this dangerous stretch of road. Between 2018 and 2022, accidents on the part of U.S. Highway 41 that runs through Cape Coral and Fort Meyers killed 59 people.
U.S. Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County
Fort Lauderdale is Florida’s most dangerous city to drive in, and its most dangerous stretch of road is Interstate 95. The part of Interstate 95 that runs through Fort Lauderdale was the scene of dozens of fatal accidents between 2018 and 2022 that claimed 56 lives.
U.S. Highway 1 in Miami-Dade County
The traffic on Florida’s busiest stretches of road often moves slowly, which makes fatal accidents less likely. The vehicles on U.S. Highway 1 in Miami-Dade County are often stuck in traffic, which may explain why fatalities on this stretch of road are relatively low. Between 2018 and 2022, 49 road users were killed in accidents on U.S. Highway 1 in Miami-Dade County.
U.S. Highway 90 in Duval County
The tenth most dangerous road in Florida according to government statistics is the stretch of U.S. Highway 90 that runs through Jacksonville in Duval County. Between 2018 and 2022, 48 people were killed in accidents on this notorious stretch of road.
Efforts to Combat Reckless and Irresponsible Driving
With more than 396,000 car accidents resulting in 3,538 fatalities in 2022, the state of Florida needs to make changes to protect everyone on the roads. The Florida Department of Transportation has launched a campaign to reduce traffic deaths in accident hotspots. The agency is spending $45 million on wrong-way detection systems, $60 million on highway rumble strips and approximately $100 million on improving lighting in intersections, but these improvements may not save many lives. About a third of the fatal accidents in Florida are caused by intoxicated, speeding or distracted drivers, which suggests that more rigorous policing could make the roads in the Sunshine State a lot safer.
