Key Takeaways:
- The deadliest 10-mile roadway stretch in Florida is found on I-95 in Miami-Dade County, with 51 fatal crashes over a five-year study period.
- South Florida contains seven of the deadliest interstate stretches in Florida, with 219 total fatal crashes.
- Eight of the deadliest interstate stretches in Florida are found on I-95, with six of them in South Florida, one in Palm Coast, and one in Jacksonville.
- The deadliest roadway stretch in the Tampa Bay area was on I-75 in Hillsborough County.
- The 50-mile segment of I-95 from Delray Beach to North Miami recorded the highest total, with 181 fatal crashes over the five-year period
Florida’s roads range from scenic coastlines to busy thoroughfares built for speed and volume. While many routes are pleasant to drive, others have developed a reputation for serious crashes. If you’ve spent enough time driving in Florida, you probably have a stretch of road you try to avoid. This spot may exhibit traffic that always feels a little more chaotic, where close calls seem too common, or where crash scenes have become an unfortunately familiar occurrence.
But which of Florida’s roads are truly the most dangerous?
To find out, we analyzed five years (2019-2023) of fatal crash data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). We focused on identifying the 10-mile stretches across the state with the highest number of fatal collisions. Read on to see which roadways ranked as Florida’s deadliest, according to the data.
Most Fatal Road Stretches Found in South Florida
The table below ranks the 10-mile road stretches in Florida with the most fatal crashes over the past five years, along with the highways and counties where they’re located.
When analyzing the deadliest stretches, we found that nearly all of the top stretches are located in South Florida, with three in Broward County, two in Palm Beach County, and two in Miami-Dade County. South Florida is one of the more densely developed regions of the state, with much of that development concentrated near the coastline. As you drive west, you’re quickly met with swampland and open green space, limiting development and roadway expansion in that direction. As a result, much of the region’s traffic flows longitudinally, with many residents commuting from surrounding residential cities to major hubs like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and West Palm Beach.
This pattern helps explain why most of the deadliest stretches lie along I-95, a major north-south highway, with seven stretches from the ranking found on this route.
The single deadliest road segment in Florida, recording 51 fatal crashes, is a 10-mile stretch of I-95 in Miami-Dade County, running from Hollywood down through North Miami, approximately between Exit 22 (Hollywood Boulevard) and Exit 14 (NE 125th Street). This corridor intersects with several major east-west highways, including I-595, State Road 870 (Sample Road), and the nearby Florida Turnpike, resulting in frequent lane changes and merging traffic. North Miami is heavily residential, while Hollywood draws consistent tourist activity. Notably, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is located near Exit 19, which may contribute to localized traffic surges during events and weekends.
When combining crash counts across adjacent stretches, the 50-mile segment of I-95 from Delray Beach to North Miami recorded the highest total, with 181 fatal crashes over the five-year period.
While most of the segments on I-95 are concentrated in South Florida, two outliers appear farther north. A stretch of I-95 in Duval County, in the Jacksonville area ranked third overall with 31 fatal crashes, making it the only top stretch located in Northeast Florida. Another stretch is found on I-95 in Palm Coast. This segment tied for eleventh place and recorded 20 fatal crashes.
In Hillsborough County, which includes part of the Tampa Bay area, a segment of I-75 tied for fourth place with 30 fatal crashes, while another segment of the same interstate tied for tenth with 21 crashes. I-4 also had a high-crash segment in Hillsborough, ranking seventh with 29 fatal crashes. Nearby, a stretch of I-595 ranked ninth with 23.
Outside of Hillsborough, I-4 recorded another deadly segment, tying for eleventh place, near both Sanford and Lake Mary, with 20 fatal crashes.
[Interactive Map] Explore The Deadliest Highway Stretches in Florida
The interactive map below displays the deadly highway stretches from our findings. Zoom in to areas of interest or use the menu for quick navigation. Hover over each stretch to reveal more information. If you are viewing this on a mobile device, rotate for best viewing experience.
Methodology
To identify the deadliest road stretches in Florida, we analyzed five years of crash data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a national database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that tracks fatal motor vehicle crashes across the United States.
We focused our analysis on fatal crashes that occurred in Florida between 2019 and 2023. Using roadway location data from each crash and GIS software, we implemented a programmatic approach to scan Florida’s highway system in overlapping 10-mile segments. Starting with the stretch containing the highest number of fatal crashes, we then moved along the roadway, identifying additional 10-mile segments with significant crash counts. This process was repeated across major interstates and highways throughout the state.
Fair Use Statement
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