Florida ranked 4th most dangerous state to drive on New Year's Eve, which county is classified as deadliest

New Year’s Eve is only a few days away; however, one factor many dread is the increased danger on the roadways due to revelers.

Through a study conducted by Carinsurance.com, compiled with data gathered from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researchers found the top five dangerous states to drive on New Year’s Eve are as follows: South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama.

The National Safety Council estimates that 179 people may die on U.S. roads during the 2025 New Year’s holiday period, including Wednesday, December 31, and Thursday, January 1, based on car accident statistics from previous years.

According to the study, their findings are based on an average of 100,000 people per year, over data gathered from 2014 to 2023. South Carolina was ranked the most dangerous, with an average of 1.39 fatalities per 100,000 people, or 71 deaths since they began gathering data.

Florida ranked fourth, with 270 fatalities over the 9 years, noting that the state ranked higher than those ranked higher on the list. The key detail is that many of the most dangerous counties for New Year’s Eve driving are in Florida.

In a separate ranking, Carinsurance.com found the top 50 most dangerous counties to drive in during New Year’s, with seven out of its top 15 located in Florida.

Sarasota County was ranked the most dangerous, with an average of 2.3 per 100,000 people, or 10 deaths per year.

Locally, Collier and Lee counties were also among the top 15, with Collier ranked fourth and Lee ranked 12th. 

For Collier County, the study found an average of 1.86 deaths per 100,000 people, or approximately seven deaths per year, and in Lee County, 1.45 deaths per 100,000 people, or approximately 11 deaths per year. 

In total, there were 1,047 fatalities on New Year’s Eve and 1,474 on New Year’s Day from 2014 to 2023, with alcohol labeled as a leading factor for the crashes. 

Their findings highlighted that the most dangerous time to drive on New Year’s Eve is between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.