It’s the last week of 2021, and the Florida Highway Patrol and Department of Transportation are doing all they can to ensure drivers are careful on the roadways as they travel to their holiday destinations.
According to data from Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, more people died in car crashes in 2020 (3,332) compared to this year (3,181), but there have been more reported crashes this year (355,997) than the year prior (341,399).
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In Duval County, FHSMV says, 174 died in crashes in 2021 in a total of 162 deadly crashes. That’s slightly under the data from 2020, which showed 187 people died in 199 crashes.
On Monday morning, a 37-year-old man died after investigators said his car went of the State Road 9B exit ramp, colliding with the concrete overpass. On Sunday night, a 26-year-old motorcyclist died in a crash with a car on Southside Boulevard.
With New Year’s Eve on the horizon, Hampton Ray with FDOT warns drivers to be careful amid the rush of the holiday season. Importantly, he says, don’t drive under the influence.
“Just use a sober driver,” Ray said. “There are a number of different programs that will help you help connect you with a sober driver, you know, a designated driver to make sure that you’re making good, safe decisions on the roadway.”
Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2019 shows that Florida was third in the nation with 790 drunk driving deaths, while Georgia came in fourth with 353.
There will be extra patrols out on New Year’s Eve to make sure people are not driving impaired.