Digging Into Florida’s Fatal Car Accident Statistics for 2023

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) compiles motor vehicle accident statistics that can be rather eye-opening. While the statistics available do not delve into as much detail as other sources, they do provide considerable detail concerning fatal car accidents. If you have been impacted by a fatal car accident, we recommend that you get in touch with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options.

Fatal Accident Totals Decline Toward Pre-COVID Numbers

For reasons that remain unexplained, 2020 saw a spike in fatal traffic accidents across the country, despite the significant decline in traffic due to the COVID-19 quarantine. The good news is that the number of fatal accidents has been in decline. On the other hand, the number of fatal accidents remains high and has not quite returned to pre-pandemic numbers. Reviewing the statistics compiled by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) makes this clear:

2023: 3,118 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,331 total fatalities
2022: 3,352 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,588 total fatalities
2021: 3,454 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,741 total fatalities
2020: 3,098 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,332 total fatalities
2019: 2,951 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,185 total fatalities
2018: 2,917 total fatal traffic accidents with 3,135 total fatalities

As you can see, 2021 saw the largest number of fatal traffic accidents across the state of Florida. While those numbers have been steadily declining, they still remain elevated. The statistics for Palm Beach County largely mirror the same trend, albeit with some puzzling variations:

2023: 168 total fatal traffic accidents with 179 total fatalities
2022: 219 total fatal traffic accidents with 233 total fatalities
2021: 198 total fatal traffic accidents with 215 total fatalities
2020: 177 total fatal traffic accidents with 185 total fatalities
2019: 163 total fatal traffic accidents with 174 total fatalities
2018: 170 total fatal traffic accidents with 183 total fatalities

As an aside, we have included the total number of fatalities to emphasize just how deadly these accidents can be – fatal car accidents often result in multiple fatalities.

While we are glad to see that the number of fatal accidents is in decline both in Palm Beach County and across the state, the harsh truth is that they are still too high. Many, if not most, of these accidents could be avoided if people drove more carefully.

Fatal Pedestrian Accidents Are Also on the Decline

Not every car accident involves only motor vehicles. Tragically, many car accidents involve pedestrians getting injured or killed. In 2023, for example, there were 10,165 car accidents that involved pedestrians in the state of Florida, 706 of which occurred in Palm Beach County. As with fatal car accidents, the number of fatal pedestrian accidents is thankfully in decline but has not quite reached pre-pandemic levels.

2023: 762 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 45 in Palm Beach County
2022: 798 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 59 in Palm Beach County
2021: 835 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 48 in Palm Beach County
2020: 715 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 43 in Palm Beach County
2019: 734 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 42 in Palm Beach County
2018: 720 fatal pedestrian accidents in Florida including 42 in Palm Beach County

Florida saw the most fatal pedestrian accidents over this period in 2021 with the lowest being in 2020. Palm Beach County, on the other hand, saw a spike in fatal pedestrian accidents in 2022, with the lowest being in 2018 and 2019.

Fatal Bicycle Accidents Remain High

Fatal car accidents can also involve people riding bicycles. And while there are overall fewer fatal bicycle accidents than fatal pedestrian accidents, there are well over 100 bicyclists killed every year in the state of Florida. There have been slight declines in the number of fatal bicycle accidents but remain high when compared to pre-pandemic rates.

2023: 215 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 11 in Palm Beach County
2022: 222 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 14 in Palm Beach County
2021: 197 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 8 in Palm Beach County
2020: 169 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 12 in Palm Beach County
2019: 156 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 5 in Palm Beach County
2018: 160 fatal bicycle accidents in Florida including 6 in Palm Beach County

Across the state and in Palm Beach County, fatal bicycle accidents were at their highest in 2022 and 2023. There was a decline in both categories from 2022 to 2023, but the numbers remain statistically high when compared to prior years. Let us hope that the downward trend continues.

Fatal Accidents and Wrongful Death Claims

We mentioned above that many fatal car accidents are avoidable. The difficult truth is that most of these accidents are caused by negligent behaviors such as speeding, reckless driving, driving while under the influence, or distracted driving. When these accidents occur, they not only result in a tragic loss of life, but they also often result in a family facing severe emotional loss coupled with a potential financial crisis.

Fortunately, the surviving family members may be able to recover compensation through pursuing a wrongful death claim. That said, wrongful death claims can be more complicated in Florida than in other states. Under Florida law, the wrongful death claim must be pursued through the victim’s estate. This can be even more complicated if the victim died without a will. Ultimately, the personal representative (the person appointed by the probate court to act on behalf of the estate) will pursue a claim for damages on behalf of the beneficiaries of the victim’s estate for the following:

Medical expenses incurred prior to the victim’s death
Funeral and burial expenses
Both current and future financial losses experienced by the family as a result of the victim’s death
Loss of the victim’s companionship and support

An experienced car accident lawyer can provide you with an estimate of what your case may be worth if you have lost a loved one in a car accident.

Talk to a Fatal Car Accident Lawyer Today – Call The Grife Law Firm

If you have lost a loved one as a result of a car accident, we are here to help you rebuild your life. Contact us today at 561-998-0770 to schedule a free consultation.