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According to the latest data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), the number of DUI accidents in the state has declined in recent years. But, while this is good news, it only tells part of the story. Below, Fort Myers car accident lawyer Randall L. Spivey discusses the latest stats.

Understanding Florida’s DUI Accident Statistics

The FLHSMV publishes updated auto accident statistics each year. Currently, the most-recent data available from the FLHSMV regarding DUI accidents are from 2020.

Based on the FLHSMV’s Traffic Crash Facts Annual Report for 2020, the number of DUI accidents in Florida decreased in 2019, and then decreased again in 2020. Here are the numbers:

• In 2018, there were 5,106 DUI-involved accidents in Florida.
• In 2019, there were 4,984 DUI-involved accidents in Florida.
• In 2020, there were 4,554 DUI-involved accidents in Florida.

This means that from 2018 to 2020, the total number of drunk driving accidents in Florida dropped by roughly 11 percent. This is significant, but as noted above, it doesn’t tell us everything we need to know about the risks of being involved in a DUI accident in Florida.

Deaths from DUI-Involved Accidents are On the Rise

While the total number of DUI-involved accidents in Florida may be down, the number of deaths from these accidents is on the rise. From 2018 to 2020, the FLHSMV reports that the total number of fatal DUI accidents remained nearly constant—dropping by just half a percent. However, during this same period, the number of deaths resulting from these accidents increased from 372 in 2018 to 384 in 2020. This means that, on average, more than one person dies in a DUI accident every day in Florida.

Florida’s DUI Fatality Rate is Significantly Above the National Average

Data from Responsibility.org also show that Florida’s DUI fatality rate is significantly above the national average. Using different data sources, Responsibility.org reports that there were actually 814 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in Florida in 2019. Nationwide, Responsibility.org reports that there were 10,142 fatal drunk driving accidents that same year. So, while Florida is just one of 50 states, more than eight percent of all drunk driving fatalities in the United States occur in Florida.

Some Areas of Florida (Including Fort Myers) Are More Dangerous Than Others

It is also important to note that some areas of Florida are more dangerous than others when it comes to the risk of being hit by a drunk driver. To identify the most dangerous areas of the state, we can look at the DUI arrest data from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (DLE).

According to the Florida DLE, there were 32,177 DUI arrests in Florida in 2018 (the most-recent year for which data are available). Of these arrests, 2,590 occurred in Florida’s 20th Judicial District, which encompasses Fort Myers and the surrounding areas. This is the highest number statewide, making Florida’s southern Gulf coast one of the areas where drivers are most likely to be seriously injured or killed by a drunk driver.

More Notable Statistics on DUI Accidents in Florida

What else do we know about the prevalence of DUI accidents in Florida? Here are some more notable statistics from the FLHSMV and Responsibility.org:

• 26% of all auto accident fatalities in Florida result from DUI-involved collisions. This is slightly below the national average of 28.1 percent.
• Roughly eight percent of all fatal alcohol-involved accidents in Florida involve drivers who are under the age of 21. This is significantly above the national average, though Florida’s percentage of total fatal DUI accidents involving drivers under the age of 21 is slightly below the national average.
• Florida has an average of 3.8 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities per 100,000 residents. This is above the national average of 3.1 fatalities per 100,000 residents.
• Nearly two-thirds (63.4 percent) of fatal DUI accidents in Florida involve a driver who has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 percent or above. In these cases, 84.1 percent of DUI drivers are repeat offenders.
• Combined, drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired drivers (both of which can be prosecuted for DUI under Florida law) account for well over 5,000 car accidents in Florida each year.

Contact Fort Myers Car Accident Lawyer Randall L. Spivey Today

If you or someone you love has been involved in a car accident involving a drunk driver, you should speak with a lawyer at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. about your legal rights. You may be entitled to significant financial compensation. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with Fort Myers car accident lawyer Randall L. Spivey, please call 888-477-4839 or reach out online today.