Did a study name Sarasota the most dangerous county for drivers on New Year’s Eve?

In a study released by CarInsurance.com, Sarasota was ranked as the county with the most auto-related fatalities in the nation on New Year’s Eve, with 2.3 deaths per 100,000 people. 

That stat is based on data averaging the number of fatal crashes in the area from 2014-2023. Manatee County ranked second in the nation, with 2.0 deaths per 100,000 people.

Among all states, Florida ranked as the fourth most dangerous. There were 270 deaths recorded on New Year’s Eve in the state between 2014 and 2023.

The study listed driving under the influence and distracted driving as top reasons for these incidents.

While Sarasota and Manatee counties do see high accident rates on New Year’s Eve, it’s important to note that this is one independent study, and it’s unclear how trends have shifted over the past couple of years.