According to newly released data by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Marion County had more alcohol-related traffic fatalities than 63 of 67 counties in Florida in 2023, with an accident rate higher than any of the state’s largest 40 counties.
The data, which is the most recent available, shows that throughout the state of Florida in 2023, there were approximately 363 alcohol-related, motor vehicle traffic fatalities. Around 21, or nearly 6%, of the fatalities occurred on Marion County roadways.
The sheer number of traffic fatalities ranks Marion County fourth among all counties in the state of Florida. In fact, Marion County had more alcohol-related traffic fatalities than many of the biggest counties in Florida, including Miami-Dade, which recorded 18 traffic fatalities and has 2,785,095 residents.
Palm Beach County, which has approximately 1,538,719 residents, experienced 13 alcohol-related traffic fatalities during the specified period, and Broward County, which has 1,987,884 residents, experienced five alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
Only three counties in Florida reported more alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2023: Duval County, which has a population of 1.05 million; Hillsborough County, which has a population of approximately 1.55 million; and Orange County, which has a population of approximately 1.51 million, according to the FLHSMV.
When comparing the different rates, and not the number, of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, Marion County had a higher rate than every other county with over 75,000 residents.
The department estimates the population of Marion County at 401,912 residents, meaning the county has a rate of 5.2 alcohol-related traffic crash fatalities for every 100,000 residents. The majority of counties with higher rates all had under 20,000 residents and generally experienced between one and three alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
The data for 2023 is similar to the data shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about Ocala in 2022.
That report showed that Ocala had the third-highest rate of fatal accidents in the country.
Over the past ten years, Marion County’s rate has been consistently higher than the average rate across the state of Florida. During multiple years, it has been more than double that average.
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