According to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), over 400,000 crashes occur on Florida roads each year, with between 25,000 and 30,000 occurring in the Tampa area. Fortunately, many of these accidents are minor fender benders that don’t lead to serious or fatal injuries. However, some traffic crashes can cause life-changing, traumatic injuries that have physical, emotional, and financial consequences.
If you have recently suffered injuries in a Tampa auto accident, victims and their families need to consult with an accident injury attorney to learn about recovering damages related to the accident and your injuries. The following Tampa accident statistics guide provides a general overview of the prevalence of Tampa accidents and related information based on data gathered by the FLHSMV.
Types of Tampa Accidents
Hillsborough County accident statistics include accidents that lead to injuries and fatalities. The types of accidents in the statistics include pedestrian, bicycle, motorcycle, and motor vehicle accidents. Here is an overview of numbers related to different types of Tampa accidents.
- Each year, Tampa Bay accidents lead to about 200 deaths and approximately 20,000 injuries.
- Between 600 and 700 motorcycle accidents occur annually in the Tampa area, leading to about 40 traffic deaths and more than 500 injuries.
- Approximately 500 bicycle accidents occur annually in the Tampa area, almost all resulting in injuries, including about a dozen fatalities.
- Over 600 pedestrian accidents lead to injuries yearly in the Tampa area, including over 50 people in 2021 who lost their lives.
Tampa Auto Accident Statistics
How Many Auto Accidents Occur Every Year in Tampa Bay?
Source: https://www.flhsmv.gov/
Driving Under the Influence in Tampa Accidents
Traffic accidents happen for various reasons, but most are preventable. Negligent driving behavior is usually the largest contributing factor to most accidents in Tampa and throughout Florida. Impaired driving is among the most egregious and dangerous of all negligent accidents in Florida. Not only is driving impaired illegal, but it also leads to dangerous and deadly accidents and injuries like wrongful death. The following statistics highlight how common driving under the influence is in the Tampa area:
- About 500 drunk driving accidents in Hillsborough County involve alcohol, resulting in nearly 300 injuries and between 20 and 30 deaths every year.
- Drug-related accidents are on the rise in Tampa and throughout Florida. On average, of the roughly 50 drug-related accidents, between 20 and 25 result in deaths, and dozens of accident victims sustain injuries.
A common trend among drug-related accidents in Tampa and throughout Hillsborough County, Florida is the high death rate compared to accidents involving alcohol. You can see the trend when you look at data from select years before the arrival of the pandemic:
- In 2014, 19 fatalities occurred in 43 drug-related Tampa accidents (44 percent).
- In 2015, 25 fatalities occurred in 60 drug-related Tampa accidents (42 percent).
- In 2016, 31 fatalities occurred in 59 drug-related Tampa accidents (53 percent).
- In 2017, 14 fatalities occurred in 49 drug-related Tampa accidents (29 percent).
- In 2018, 16 fatalities occurred in 45 drug-related Tampa accidents (36 percent).
- In 2019, 22 fatalities occurred in 59 drug-related Tampa accidents (37 percent).
In comparison, here is a breakdown of the rate of death for Tampa traffic accidents involving alcohol in the same years:
- In 2014, 33 fatalities occurred in 526 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (6 percent).
- In 2015, 42 fatalities occurred in 546 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (8 percent).
- In 2016, 15 fatalities occurred in 466 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (3 percent).
- In 2017, 19 fatalities occurred in 510 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (4 percent).
- In 2018, 20 fatalities occurred in 481 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (4 percent).
- In 2019, 28 fatalities occurred in 419 alcohol-related Orlando accidents (7 percent).
Commercial Motor Vehicles in Greater Tampa Bay Traffic Accidents
Commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) are classified as vehicles weighing more than 10,000 pounds or transporting hazardous materials. Most CMVs are medium or heavy trucks like 18-wheelers, garbage trucks, cement trucks, and flatbed trucks. The large size and the massive weight of most CMVs make them dangerous when an accident occurs. Statistics show that Truck accidents lead to greater damages, more severe injuries, and a higher likelihood of a fatal crash. The following statistics shed light on the dangers of CMV accidents:
- Between 2,500 and 3,000 CMV accidents occur each year in the Tampa area.
- Tampa CMV accidents lead to more than 20 deaths each year.
- Between 600 and 1,000 injuries occur in Tampa CMV accidents each year.
Who Is Most Vulnerable in a Tampa Accident?
FLHSMV does not provide motorist demographic data at the city level. However, state-level data shows trends that contribute to the cause of traffic accidents in Tampa. This following information gives you an idea of the ages of drivers most likely to be injured in a Tampa accident:
- Once drivers reach age 34, their chances of car accidents decrease yearly.
- Drivers in most crashes are between 25 and 34. They are also more likely to be in a crash that leads to fatal or incapacitating injuries.
- Drivers between 25 and 29 are most likely to crash while drunk.
Weather and Road Conditions in Tampa Accidents
People often assume that most traffic accidents in the Tampa Bay area and throughout the state occur during bad weather on wet roads. However, car accident statistics for 2022 tell a different story:
- About 75 percent of Florida traffic accidents occur on sunny days without rain, wind, or sleet.
- Almost 70 percent of Florida roadway accidents occur during the day, with afternoon rush hour the most active.
- Rainy days have fewer accidents than cloudy days.
- Over 80 percent of Florida traffic crashes occur on dry roads.
Contact a Tampa, FL Accident Injury Lawyer
Tampa car accident statistics show how prevalent car crashes are. The safest drivers, bikers, cyclists, and pedestrians still risk injuries because of other negligent people who share the road. If you have sustained injuries in a Tampa accident, contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your Tampa car crash, your injuries, and how to file a claim. Call a Tampa car accident lawyer at Dolman Law Group for a free consultation to learn about your legal options and how to get compensation for being hurt in a car accident.
