Miami Car Accident Statistics

Life in Miami moves at a fast pace. Unfortunately, the same frenzy of activity that makes Miami so exciting and attractive often carries over to its roads.

Drivers often become impatient and aggressive when faced with Miami’s congested roads and bumper-to-bumper traffic. As a result, car accidents in Miami are incredibly common. In fact, statistics show that Miami-Dade County is one of the most dangerous areas in Florida for drivers.

Miami Leads the State in Total Crashes

There are more car accidents reported in Miami-Dade County than anywhere else in the state of Florida. Approximately 20 percent of these crashes happen within the city limits of Miami. Only Broward County and Orange County frequently report a similar number of crashes. Over the past few years, the number of total car accidents in Miami has increased. In fact, between 2014 and 2017, the number of crashes increased by nearly 10 percent.

Reported Car Accidents in Miami, 2014-2017

• 2014: 60,191
• 2015: 63,523
• 2016: 64,118
• 2017: 65,986

Statistics for 2018 indicate that the number of accidents reported each year will continue to rise. There have been 51,742 reported Miami car accidents through the first 10 months of the year.

Miami Car Accidents Resulting in Physical Injury

Car Accidents Resulting in Injury, 2014-2017

Car accidents can be incredibly violent and have devastating consequences for those involved. Statistics show that approximately one-third of all car accidents in Miami result in at least one physical injury.

• 2014: 21,203 (35.2 percent of total crashes)
• 2015: 21,815 (34.3 percent of total crashes)
• 2016: 21,658 (33.8 percent of total crashes)
• 2017: 21,571 (32.7 percent of total crashes).

So far in 2018, 32.8 percent of all car accidents in Miami have resulted in at least one injury.

Total Injuries Reported Following Miami Car Accidents, 2014-2017

It’s also important to note that most car accidents don’t just leave one victim suffering from an injury. It’s common for multiple people to sustain injuries in a Miami crash.

• 2014: 31,763 injuries
• 2015: 32,798 injuries
• 2016: 33,418 injuries
• 2017: 32,389 injuries.

So far in 2018, more than 25,000 car accident injuries have been reported in Miami.

Fewer Injury-Causing Crashes But More Reported Injuries

Since 2014, there have been fewer injury-causing crashes reported in Miami with each passing year. In 2014, 35.2 percent of all accidents caused at least one injury. By 2017, that number had decreased to 32.7 percent.

However, there have actually been more injuries have been reported over this same period of time. In 2014, there were 31,763 injuries reported after Miami crashes. By 2017, the number of reported injuries had increased to 32,389.

This could reflect the fact that car accidents in Miami are becoming more dangerous and violent. More serious accidents are more likely to inflict greater harm. The rise in injuries could also reflect the rising number of bicyclists, pedestrians, and scooter operators involved in Miami car accidents.

Fatal Crashes in Miami

While the number of total car accidents in Miami has increased in recent years. However, the number of fatal crashes has remained fairly consistent. There has only been a slight increase in the number of fatal crashes and car accident fatalities in recent years.

Fatal Crashes in Miami, 2014-2017

• 2014: 269 fatal crashes, 281 fatalities
• 2015: 316 fatal crashes, 340 fatalities
• 2016: 281 fatal crashes, 296 fatalities
• 2017: 270 fatal crashes, 285 fatalities

There have been 234 fatal car accidents and 250 reported fatalities in the first 10 months of 2018.

Miami Car Accidents Causing Property Damage

Car accidents in Miami don’t just cause physical, emotional, and psychological injuries. Crashes can also do a great deal of damage to vehicles and surrounding property. Most car accidents in Miami cause more than $1,000 in damage to property.

Over the past few years, the number of accidents causing property damage has actually increased by 14 percent.

Car Accidents Resulting in Property Damage, 2014-2017

• 2014: 38,719 (64.3 percent of all accidents)
• 2015: 41,392 (65.2 percent of all accidents)
• 2016: 42,179 (65.8 percent of all accidents)
• 2017: 44,144 (66.9 percent of all accidents).

So far in 2018, more than 66 percent of all car accidents in Miami have caused significant damage to property.

Car Accidents Involving Bicyclists and Pedestrians in Miami

Miami’s beautiful weather and climate make it a fantastic place to ditch the car and opt for alternative modes of transportation. It’s common to see Miami’s roads populated with people walking and riding bicycles.

Since cars are driven right alongside pedestrians and bicyclists, accidents happen quite frequently.

Miami Car Accidents Involving Bicyclists, 2014-2017

Thanks to new safety initiatives and dedicated infrastructure, the number of accidents involving bicyclists has actually decreased significantly in recent years.

• 2014: 989, resulting in 18 deaths
• 2015: 895, resulting in 18 deaths
• 2016: 758, resulting in 17 deaths
• 2017: 805, resulting in 14 deaths

There have been 665 reported bicycle accidents, 15 of which were fatal, in Miami through the first 10 months of 2018.

Miami Car Accidents Involving Pedestrians, 2014-2017

Despite an uptick in pedestrian crashes between 2014 and 2015, the number of accidents has remained fairly consistent over the past few years. However, the number of pedestrian fatalities has dropped significantly.

• 2014: 1,522 accidents, resulting in 77 deaths
• 2015: 1,605 accidents, resulting 93 deaths
• 2016: 1,405 accidents, resulting in 84 deaths
• 2017: 1,546 accidents, resulting in 58 deaths

There have been 1,215 pedestrian accidents, 71 of which were fatal, through the first 10 months of 2018.

Most Dangerous Months to Drive in Miami

The number of car accidents in Miami isn’t evenly distributed throughout the year. Statistics show that car accidents happen more frequently in certain months. Surprisingly, the most dangerous months are not during the heat of summer.

Instead, Miami roads tend to become more dangerous when its population balloons in the winter months.

In 2017, the most dangerous times of the year included:

• March (6,328 accidents)
• October (6,331 accidents)
• December (5,918 accidents), and
• November (5,835 accidents).

The fewest number of Miami car accidents were reported during the months of:

• May (4,692 accidents)
• June (4,921 accidents)
• September (4,928 accidents), and
• July (5,188 accidents).

Miami Is Home to Some of the State’s Most Dangerous Roads

According to a recent study, Miami is home of 4 of the 15 most dangerous stretches of road in the state of Florida. There are more crashes and fatalities on these specific stretches of road than anywhere else in the state.

I-95 Express Toll in Little River, Miami: This 3.85 mile stretch of road is actually the most dangerous place to drive in the entire state of Florida with a rate of 7.01 fatalities per mile.

I-95 in North Miami: This 7.88 mile stretch of road has a rate of 6.60 fatalities per mile.

NW 54th Street: This stretch of road, measuring less than 2 miles, has a rate of 5.08 fatalities per mile.

NW 7th Street: This 2.56 mile stretch of road in downtown Miami has a rate of 4.69 fatalities per mile.

Need Help?

A car accident can be a traumatic experience. Our attorneys can help you fight for the compensation you deserve if you’ve been injured and someone else is to blame. The money you receive can help to cover the costs of medical care, disability, and other devastating consequences of your accident.

Contact a personal injury attorney in Miami at Lavent Law, P.A. to schedule a free case assessment. We’ll explain your rights and answer any questions you have. You have a limited amount of time to act, so don’t hesitate to call for help today.