Drew Dixon
A new study by Tallahassee-based law firm Fasig Brooks ranks the worst counties for vehicle accidents involving impaired drivers in Florida, and those at the top of the ranking are largely rural or lesser-populated counties.
The study used data from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles agency to compile the list.
Bay County in the Florida Panhandle and home to Panama City is ranked the worst county in Florida for accidents involving impaired motorists. In 2023, there were 71 crashes for every 100,000 people in Bay County that involved alcohol. The wrecks caused 41 injuries and two fatalities in Bay County.
Holmes County in North Florida off the Interstate 10 corridor and bordering the Georgia state line, appeared second on the list with 55 wrecks involving impaired drivers for every 100,000 people. Those crashes resulted in 20 injuries last year, but no one was killed.
Martin County on Florida’s Treasure Coast just north of West Palm Beach was ranked third on the list. There were 52 DUI accidents in Martin last year that resulted in 31 injuries with one fatality.
The largest populated county on the top 20 list was Pinellas County, home to Clearwater in the Tampa area. There were 37 impaired traffic accidents per 100,000 residents in 2023 with 22 injuries and 1 person killed. The Gulf Coast county was ranked eighth on the list.
“Our analysis of the Florida 2023 drunk driving data reveals that impaired driving remains a major concern across many counties. By identifying the counties with the highest rates of incidents, we can focus our efforts on those areas most in need of intervention,” the study concluded
The analysis reached into the first half of 2024, as well and noted drunk driving accidents do not appear to be abating.
“Our findings showed there have been 1,837 drunk driving crashes in Florida since the start of 2024, leading to 1,008 individuals being injured. With our research, we are aiming to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving (and) to ensure safer roads for all in Florida,” the study stated.
The three Florida counties rounding out the top 20 worst places for drunk driving in the state included Monroe County home to the Florida Keys, Flagler County in Northeast Florida and Jefferson County, which also borders Georgia in North Florida.
