New Florida study shows Bay County ranked first in drunk driving crash rate in 2023

A new study shows that Bay County had the highest rate of drunk driving crashes per 100,000 residents in Florida in 2023.

Bay County ranked first out of Florida's 67 counties, according to a press release from personal injury law firm Fasig | Brooks. The firm analyzed Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles data on impaired driving crashes from 2023 and calculated the rate per 100,000 residents.

For Bay County, it was 71 crashes per 100,000 residents, the study shows. Bay County had two fatalities and 41 injuries as a result of impaired driving crashes in 2023.

“Our analysis of the Florida 2023 drunk driving data reveals that impaired driving remains a major concern across many counties,” a spokesperson from Fasig | Brooks is quoted as saying in a press release. “By identifying the counties with the highest rates of incidents, we can focus our efforts on those areas most in need of intervention.”

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The law firm’s study did not account for the high number of tourists who visit Bay County each year. It just accounts for the number of residents. (The most recent U.S. Census Bureau profile shows that Bay County's population is 175,216.)

“The research shows the importance of implementing effective measures to combat impaired driving,” the law firm's press release reads. “By introducing more public awareness campaigns, stricter enforcement of DUI laws, and community programs, there is an opportunity to reduce alcohol consumption before driving can help address this issue.”