ORLANDO, Fla. — According to a new study, Florida ranks eighth nationwide for Thanksgiving traffic fatalities, with 21.91 deaths per one million residents.
The study examined data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) spanning 2014 to 2023. Florida experienced 472 Thanksgiving deaths in this period, which is 47.3% above the national average of 14.88 fatalities per million residents.
TOP 10 DEADLIEST STATES FOR THANKSGIVING DRIVING
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- South Carolina
- Louisiana
- South Dakota
- Montana
- New Mexico
- Florida
- Missouri
- Wyoming
The study revealed that 54.8% of Thanksgiving fatalities in Florida involved drivers, making the state 33rd nationally in driver deaths. Pedestrians represented 20.9% of these fatalities, ranking Florida 15th nationwide for pedestrian deaths during the holiday.
The analysis showed that six of the ten states with the highest Thanksgiving travel fatalities are located in the South, namely Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Missouri.
Last year, the National Safety Council reported 502 deaths on U.S. roads during Thanksgiving, with 35% involving alcohol-impaired drivers. Additionally, there were about 57,200 nonfatal injuries requiring medical consultation due to crashes.
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