Florida traffic deaths rank near worst in nation

by | Oct 11, 2022



  • Florida is tied for fifth most deadly state in the nation for traffic deaths
  • Nearly 2,000 have died on Florida roads in the first half of 2022, third highest in the nation
  • After adjusting for vehicle miles traveled by its populace, Florida has recorded 1.58 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled

Traffic deaths are on the rise in the United States, according to a recent report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An estimated 20,175 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes from January through June 2022, the most in the first half of any year since 2006.

The latest increase in traffic fatalities comes as Americans are spending more time on the road. U.S. drivers traveled 43.2 billion more miles in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.

The recent increase in traffic fatalities is a continuation of a troubling long-term trend. Deaths on American roads rose for seven consecutive quarters, from mid 2020 to early 2022. A recent survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that the trend is partially the result of rising instances of risky behavior among motorists – including speeding, distracted driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Some states stand out for having especially high traffic fatality rates so far this year. According to the NHTSA, there were an estimated 1,951 traffic fatalities in Florida in the first half of 2022, the third most among states.

After adjusting for vehicle miles traveled, Florida – along with Delaware and New Mexico – has the fifth highest traffic fatality rate in the country – with 1.58 roadway deaths for every 100 million miles traveled. For context, there were an estimated 1.27 deaths per 100 million miles nationwide in the first half of the year.

Rank State Traffic deaths per 100M VMT, first half of 2022 Total traffic deaths, first half of 2022
1 South Carolina 1.71 517
2 Mississippi 1.64 341
3 Arkansas 1.63 286
4 Louisiana 1.59 432
5 Florida 1.58 1,951
6 New Mexico 1.58 210
7 Delaware 1.58 76
8 Tennessee 1.56 636
9 Texas 1.5 2,183
10 Oregon 1.45 250
11 North Carolina 1.44 806
12 West Virginia 1.43 121
13 Kansas 1.41 205
14 Georgia 1.4 901
15 Nevada 1.39 194
16 Alabama 1.36 486
17 Kentucky 1.34 335
18 Colorado 1.32 339
19 California 1.29 2,149
20 Nebraska 1.26 127
21 Maine 1.26 86
22 Missouri 1.23 472
23 Alaska 1.23 34
24 Oklahoma 1.22 274
25 Hawaii 1.22 63
26 Vermont 1.21 40
27 Connecticut 1.2 196
28 Illinois 1.19 612
29 Washington 1.19 346
30 Pennsylvania 1.18 558
31 Virginia 1.16 481
32 Arizona 1.16 436
33 Montana 1.13 72
34 Michigan 1.1 516
35 Indiana 1.1 455
36 Ohio 1.05 578
37 Wyoming 1.03 51
38 New Hampshire 1.02 65
39 Iowa 0.97 152
40 Maryland 0.96 264
41 New York 0.95 516
42 New Jersey 0.93 342
43 Wisconsin 0.92 280
44 Utah 0.91 153
45 Idaho 0.91 85
46 North Dakota 0.89 39
47 South Dakota 0.88 45
48 Massachusetts 0.68 204
49 Minnesota 0.68 187
50 Rhode Island 0.38 14

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