Vehicle crash fatalities on pace to be lowest in five-year span | Florida

(The Center Square) — Florida could be on pace in 2023 to have its fewest deaths from automobile crashes in five years.

Officials say it’s too early to make a prediction.

So far this year, Florida has had 160,804 vehicle crashes, including those involving bicycles and pedestrians. There have been 1,371 fatalities according to the official numbers released by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

Molly Best, communications director for the agency, said that it was too early in the year to draw conclusions on the data.

Through June 3, the agency reports that there have only been 122 crashes, far less than January – which had 32,500 crashes. February had 31,428 crashes, and March hit a high of 35,700 crashes. The numbers dipped in April to 32,806 and then even further in May to 30,739 crashes.

In total 102,952 people were injured in a crash involving a motor vehicle, and motorcyclists have had 4,164 crashes, with 240 fatalities.

According to the data, the vast majority of crashes between January and June happened down the east coast of the state, especially in tourist hotspots like Orange and Seminole counties. Several counties in South Florida — including Miami-Dade, Palm Beach County and Broward — are among the most dangerous driving spots in the state.

Seminole County is at the top of the list for worst rates per county, with 2,589 crashes in the last five months with 23 fatalities. Hamilton County, on the border of Georgia with a population of only 13,217, had 150 crashes and two fatalities within the past six months.

Duval County had a total of 9,942 crashes and 66 fatalities, while Miami-Dade County had the most fatalities in the state with 25,674 crashes in total involving a motor vehicle and 163 fatalities. Madison County, which has a small population of around 18,198 people, had 176 crashes and six fatalities.

According to 10-year data from the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Vital Statistics, deaths from motor vehicle crashes have progressively worsened with deaths reaching a high of 3,863 in 2021. In comparison, 2012 had approximately 2,392 deaths – the lowest over the past decade.

The Health Department and the Highway Department compile statistics with differing methodology.

Highway fatalities were up in 2020, when COVID-19 lockdowns impacted much of the country, over the total in 2019.

On June 2, the Highway Department and the Florida Highway Patrol launched their annual Safe Summer Travel Campaign to drive those numbers down during the state’s peak season and to remind those visiting the Sunshine State and Floridians to keep safety as a top priority while driving.