Car crashes claimed the lives of 3,552 people in Florida in 2022. It’s a large number – and it’s on the rise. You may wonder about the odds of a fatal car crash in Florida.
The team of Coral Gables car accident lawyers at Maderal Byrne & Furst PLLC shares car accident fatality odds and statistics for Florida and Miami-Dade County.
The Rate of Fatal Car Accidents in Florida
The odds of a fatal car crash in Florida are 0.8%. According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, there were 3,311 crashes involving fatalities in Florida in 2022. In total, there were 396,492 traffic crashes. To put it another way, one in every 6,231 traffic crashes in Florida results in a fatality.
Florida car crash fatalities by year
| Year | Total Fatalities | Total Crashes with Fatalities |
| 2022 | 3,552 | 3,311 |
| 2021 | 3,741 | 3,454 |
| 2020 | 3,332 | 3,098 |
| 2019 | 3,185 | 2,951 |
Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Crash and Citation Reports & Statistics.
What are the odds of a fatal car crash by the population of Florida?
Each year, there is one fatal car crash for every 5,822 people in the State of Florida. The population of Florida is 21.78 million as of 2021. There were 3,741 car crash fatalities in 2021.
That is a fatality rate of 0.017% or approximately one person for every 5,822 residents of the State of Florida.
What are the odds of a fatal car crash by miles traveled annually in Florida?
The car crash fatality rate in Florida by miles traveled annually is 1.72 per 100 million miles traveled.
The traffic fatality rate in Florida by miles driven has not been this high since 2002-03. The rate dipped to 1.24 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles driven in 2014. It has steadily increased since that time.
What Are the Odds of a Fatal Car Crash in Miami-Dade County?
The odds of a fatal car crash in Miami-Dade County are 0.4%. In Miami-Dade County, in 2022, there were 63,522 car crashes. 304 of them were fatal. One in every 209 car crashes in Miami-Dade County results in a fatality.
Miami-Dade County car crash fatalities by year
| Year | Total Fatalities | Total Crashes with Fatalities |
| 2022 | 322 | 304 |
| 2021 | 352 | 323 |
| 2020 | 314 | 295 |
| 2019 | 298 | 282 |
Miami-Dade Car Accident Fatality Rates by Type of Victim
Car crash fatalities include drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
Miami-Dade County car accident fatalities – by type, 2022
| Victim characteristic | No. in All Florida | No. in Miami-Date County |
| Bicyclist | 215 | 18 |
| Pedestrian | 787 | 87 |
| Motorcyclists | 604 | 45 |
Hit and run statistics – Florida and Miami-Dade County
There were 284 hit and run fatalities in Florida in 2022. Of these fatalities, 35 occurred in Miami-Dade County.
Florida Car Accident Fatalities – Statistics by Age
Car accident fatalities occur in significant numbers across all age groups.
Florida car accident fatalities by age, 2021
| Age Group | No. Fatalities |
| Under 19 | 114 |
| 20-29 | 452 |
| 30-39 | 395 |
| 40-49 | 270 |
| 50-59 | 325 |
| 60-69 | 220 |
| 70-79 | 179 |
| 80-89 | 92 |
| 90+ | 15 |
| Unknown | 5 |
What Factors Make a Crash More Deadly?
Characteristics that may make a crash more deadly:
No seatbelts
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), front seat passengers who buckle up reduce their risk of a traffic fatality by 45%. Seatbelts help keep a person stable during a crash and may prevent them from being thrown dangerously when impact occurs.
No airbags, airbag malfunction
NHTSA reports that airbags have saved an estimated 50,000 lives. When airbags function properly, they help prevent the occupant from striking the vehicle’s interior in a crash.
No car seats, improper car seat use
30% of infants and toddlers (ages 0-3) killed in car crashes were not restrained. Failing to use a car seat, or using it improperly, can contribute to a motor vehicle crash being fatal.
Heavy and large vehicles
The National Bureau of Economic Research reports that being struck by a heavy vehicle increases the odds of a fatality. Commercial trucks are safer for occupants but not for others on the roads.
Speed
Speed is a factor in 29% of traffic fatalities. As speeds increase, the forces at impact increase, making a crash more likely to cause harm.
Angle of impact
Side-impact or “T-bone” crashes and front-impact crashes cause the most serious physical harm. A motor vehicle offers the least protection from the side. In a head-on collision, forward momentum from both directions can multiply the forces involved.
Vehicle design or function flaws
A vehicle design flaw may make a vehicle more likely to burst into flames in a crash. It may increase the chance of a rollover or decrease the effectiveness of brakes. These factors may increase fatality rates.
This list covers things that may make a crash more likely to be fatal. It does not include things that may make a crash more likely to occur, like drunk driving, poor road conditions, and driver inexperience.
Our Lawyers Pursue Wrongful Death Claims After Deadly Accidents in Florida
At Maderal Byrne & Furst, we go above and beyond to achieve justice for our clients. If your loved one was killed in an accident, our team of compassionate attorneys champions the rights of victims. Contact us now.
