Statewide, DUI arrests in Florida have dropped by 19.3% over the last 13 years—a shift that sounds promising on paper. But the closer you get to the ground level, the more chaotic the picture becomes. That overall decline? It masks a jittery, uneven reality, county by county. And in 2024, those fault lines widened fast.
Certain counties consistently report higher DUI arrest numbers:
- Hillsborough County: In 2024, recorded 4593 DUI arrests and has shown the highest arrest numbers for the last 6 years.
- Pinellas County: Reported 3,326 arrests in 2024 showing a decline from the year before
- Broward County: Noted a significant increase, with arrests rising from 2,279 in 2022 to 3,314 in 2023, marking a 20% surge.
- Miami Dade: By far the state’s most populous county, ranks 7th
What most people miss is that total arrest numbers don’t always show where the real intensity lies. You’ve got to factor in population to see which counties are actually dealing with the highest DUI rates per resident. When you line up the numbers that way, the top five hotspots for DUIs per capita tell a different story:
Pinellas County takes the lead. Yes, it’s had high raw arrest totals in the past, but when you scale that to population, it rockets to number one. And it’s been anything but stable. Arrests peaked dramatically in 2021, dropped off hard in 2023, and then jumped right back in 2024. The swings aren’t subtle—they’re seismic. That volatility, mixed with high per-capita rates, makes it Florida’s most intense DUI zone.
Duval County ranks second per capita. It’s a county that’s constantly adjusting, like a driver trying to find traction in the rain. The total arrests dipped after 2019, hit a low in 2023, and surged again in 2024. Its per-capita figures show that even when the raw numbers don’t break records, the risk on the road is high compared to its size.
Hillsborough County, one of the most talked-about when it comes to DUI enforcement, comes in third. It’s always been high-volume—no surprise there. Arrests were falling steadily until 2023, but then in 2024, the count spiked back toward early-decade levels. When you’re pulling in over 4,000 arrests in a single year and you’re not one of the state’s largest counties by population? That puts you squarely in the danger zone.
Brevard County often flies under the radar, but per capita, it’s punching way above its weight. The raw arrest numbers aren’t as flashy as Hillsborough or Broward, but the ratio tells a different story. Enforcement’s consistent, and even as other counties yo-yo, Brevard holds its place in the top five—quietly, steadily.
Lee County rounds out the list. Its raw totals might not scream “hotspot” at first glance, but dig deeper, and its arrest rate per person is high enough to land it among the worst. The pattern here is similar to others—some dips, some climbs—but overall, a steady enough enforcement effort that keeps DUI lawyers busy.
The rest of the state? Mixed bag. Some counties like Polk and Volusia appear quieter in both raw numbers and rates. Others, like Sarasota, show sudden upticks that suggest trouble might be brewing.
When we’re not representing our clients, we’re looking for insights and trends in traffic enforcement. If you need assistance with a DUI or any type of criminal matter, we hope you’ll trust our expertise. Call for a free consultation.
