Seminole County, Fla. – Florida’s roads come with a warning after dark. A recent analysis ranked the Sunshine State third most dangerous in the nation for nighttime driving — and years of federal crash data help explain why.
The review done by vehicle history report provider Zilocar.com compiled 2024 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. Of the state’s 2,931 total fatal crashes recorded in 2024, 1,734 — or 59.2% — occurred at night.
News 6’s own review of the national numbers reveals more than 60% of fatal crashes in Florida between 2020 and 2024 occurred in low-light conditions. That translates to an average of 784 nighttime traffic deaths every year over that five-year span.
Behind the wheel after dark
News 6 rode along with our traffic safety expert Trooper Steve Montiero to break down what makes nighttime driving so much more dangerous than hitting the road in daylight.
“You know, at nighttime, the crashes are usually more violent,” Trooper Steve said.
He says one of the biggest culprits is driver overconfidence.
“People come out assuming it’s the exact same driving as what we’re doing right now,” Trooper Steve said. “But the difference is obvious. We can see everything that’s taking place.”
Visibility, he says, is only part of the equation. Depth perception is another critical factor that drivers often underestimate once the sun goes down.
“Depth perception is massive when you’re driving,” Trooper Steve said.
A deadly crash close to home
The danger isn’t theoretical. In the early morning hours of July 10, 2026, a 25-year-old man from Kissimmee was killed on State Road 417 northbound near mile marker 39, just north of Aloma Avenue in Seminole County.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver — operating a 2022 Acura ILX — was traveling northbound in the outside lane when, for unknown reasons, he drifted into an active construction zone lane closure and struck the rear of a parked 2024 Ford F-650 construction drill truck. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The case remains under investigation.
The incident drew attention at a recent Seminole County Commission meeting, where commissioners called on local staff to work with the Florida Department of Transportation on potential safety improvements along the corridor, if needed.
“I’d like to ask our commission to actually have our staff talk to DOT about reducing the speed,” Commissioner Bob Dallari said.
Commissioner Andria Herr encouraged county staff to understand the circumstances further.
“We need to find out what it is,” Herr said. “We need to have our engineering team understand why it’s posted the way it’s posted. And if there are concerns on behalf of the engineers that do this all, then we need to be lobbying for safety.”
Florida among deadliest states after dark
Only Texas and California recorded more nighttime fatal crashes than Florida in 2024. Texas led the nation with 2,247 nighttime crashes, representing 59.5% of its total. California followed closely with 2,221 nighttime crashes — 62% of its total, the highest nighttime share of any state in the top 10.
Florida’s worst month for nighttime crashes was March, with 181 incidents. September was the safest, with 115 — a difference of 57%.
Nationally, more than half of all fatal crashes — 53.6%, totaling 19,441 — occurred at night in 2024.
Size, traffic volume not the only factors
Experts note that the states with the most nighttime crashes tend to be among the largest and most heavily traveled — but population and traffic volume alone don’t tell the full story.
At the end of the day, Trooper Steve says it comes down to the person behind the wheel.
“At the end of the day, a driver is ultimately in control of their car,” Trooper Steve said.