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The Most Dangerous Places to Drive on New Year’s
Millions of Americans travel for New Year’s Eve and Day celebrations, but unfortunately, the last night of the year can be one of the most dangerous for drivers. CarInsurance.com analyzed data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to find that certain states and counties have consistently higher fatality rates on December 31 and January 1. The team identified where and when the risks are highest.
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The team’s analysis examined NHTSA fatality numbers between 2014 and 2023, then adjusted this data relative to population to calculate the number of fatalities per 100,000 residents. They discovered that these states had the highest per-capita traffic deaths on New Year’s Eve:
- South Carolina – 1.39 deaths per 100,000 (71 total)
- Mississippi – 1.35 deaths per 100,000 (40 total)
- Louisiana – 1.33 deaths per 1000,000 (62 total)
Florida was also a high-risk location. Its deaths per capita rank fourth on the list, but the total number of New Year’s Eve fatalities are much higher than the top three states, with 270 deaths in total. This is largely due to Florida’s large population and number of dangerous counties.
Focusing on these high-risk counties revealed some especially hazardous locations. The deadliest U.S. counties on New Year’s Eve and Day were:
- Sarasota County, Florida – 2.3 fatalities per 100,000 (10 deaths)
- Manatee County, Florida – 2.0 per 100,000 (8 deaths)
- Davidson County, Tennessee – 1.96 per 100,000 (14 deaths)
Sarasota and Manatee counties are both linked to high rates of DUI-related traffic fatalities, which can help explain their placement at the top of the list.
The danger not only varies by place, but by the time of day. On New Year’s Eve, the deadliest hours occur between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. for 38 recorded fatalities. On New Year’s Day, the early morning hours are by far the most dangerous, with 137 deaths occurring between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. and 131 deaths between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m.
Over the decades, we see 1,047 deaths on December 31st and 1,474 on January 1st, so New Year’s Day has the most fatalities overall, which is probably due to partygoers under the influence returning home in the early morning hours.
The largest contributor to New Year’s traffic deaths is certainly alcohol impairment. For example, in 2022, 37% of deadly crashes on New Year’s Day involved an alcohol impaired driver. This number varies year-to-year, but it does highlight how common drunk driving is during holiday celebrations.
This pattern aligns with a broader national trend of alcohol-impaired driving leading to traffic fatalities. In 2023, a third of U.S. traffic deaths involved drunk drivers, prompting campaigns run during the holiday period with slogans like, “Drive sober or get pulled over.”
Understanding the safety facts the team outlined can help drivers make safe decisions over the holidays. We can see from the data that they should avoid driving between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. They should arrange a sober ride and never drive under the influence. Always wear a seatbelt and be extra alert when driving.