Case Study:
The Dramatic Decline of Traffic Fatalities in Florida and the Role of Targeted Behavioral Intervention Through Digital Advertising
Executive Summary
From 2022 to 2024, Florida experienced a remarkable 29% decline in traffic fatalities—far outpacing the national average reduction of just 8% over the same period. While a variety of policy, engineering, and enforcement changes played supporting roles, one of the most impactful and innovative strategies came from the private sector: the application of Peak Targeting’s advanced digital advertising platform to target, inform, and influence high-risk drivers. By leveraging geolocation and behavioral data, Peak Targeting successfully identified individuals who frequently traverse high-fatality intersections and deployed personalized campaigns to encourage safer driving habits. This white paper explores how this data-driven approach helped Florida emerge as a national leader in reducing traffic fatalities.
Background: A State and National Perspective
Traffic fatalities in the United States have been on a modest decline since their pandemic-era peak in 2021 (43,230 deaths). By 2024, national fatalities fell to an estimated 39,345—a 3.8% drop from 2023 and a 4.3% decrease from 2022. While this trend reflects progress, the pace of change nationally has been slow, and fatality rates remain above pre-pandemic levels.
In contrast, Florida saw significantly more aggressive improvement:
- Fatalities dropped from 3,553 in 2022 to 2,524 in 2024 (a 29% reduction).
- Fatality rate per capita fell from 0.0159% to 0.0110%, outpacing the national rate change by 581% over two years.
This dramatic turnaround warrants close attention, particularly as other high-growth states struggle to match Florida’s success.
The Innovation: Peak Targeting’s Digital Intervention Model
At the center of Florida’s success story lies a pioneering approach to public safety communications, championed by Peak Targeting, deploying an AdTech and advanced analytics platform headquartered in St Petersburg, Florida.
Methodology
Peak Targeting and its partners have worked with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) since 2021 to identify people who are at greater risk than the average population for
involvement in fatal accidents based on combinations of travel patterns derived using Peak Targeting’s patented Venue Replay technology. The mobile devices and IP addresses associated with these people are then used in digital ad campaigns that leverage both display and connected television advertising, with messaging designed to help modify their dangerous behavior. This method employed Peak Targeting’s proprietary IP-to-device mapping and mobile signal intelligence technology to identify individuals who frequently traverse dangerous intersections, areas statistically overrepresented in fatal crashes.
By analyzing real-time mobile location data, Peak Targeting:
- Identified high-risk corridors and intersections (e.g., intersections with a history of pedestrian deaths, red-light running, or speeding-related fatalities).
- Tracked drivers and pedestrians who repeatedly moved through these zones.
- Delivered hyper-targeted digital ads (educational, cautionary, and behavior-modifying messages) directly to these users on their mobile devices, smart TVs, and household IPs.
Messaging Strategy
The behavioral messaging campaigns emphasized:
- Consequences of speeding, texting, or impaired driving in high-risk areas.
- Visual simulations of intersection-related crashes.
- Reminders about local enforcement and traffic camera systems.
- Encouragement to slow down and increase vigilance.
All messages were tailored to appear hyper-local and personally relevant, significantly increasing their emotional impact and efficacy.
Results: Quantified Impact of Behavior Change
The chart below (compiled from NHTSA, FLHSMV, and Peak Targeting data) captures the key metrics illustrating Florida’s success:
| Year | Fatalities | Fatality Rate | YoY Change | National YoY | Delta |
| 2022 | 3,553 | 0.0159% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 2023 | 3,351 | 0.0148% | –7% | –4.3% | +60% |
| 2024 | 2,524 | 0.0110% | –26% | –3.8% | +581% |
The 2024 data is even more impressive considering Florida’s population grew by over 650,000 people from 2022 to 2024. Despite increased road usage, fatalities fell sharply—proof that interventions like Peak Targeting’s not only work but scale effectively.
Additionally, injury rates decreased from 1.78% in 2022 to 1.57% in 2024—a 12% drop, supporting the idea that Peak Targeting’s efforts reduced both severe and fatal accidents.
Broader Context: Complementary Policies and Conditions
Florida’s success is multi-faceted, with supporting elements that enhanced the efficacy of digital interventions:
Automated enforcement (e.g., red-light and speed cameras) reinforced messages received through Peak Targeting’s campaigns.
- Vision Zero programs in metro areas improved infrastructure alongside educational outreach.
- Targeted enforcement and infrastructure spending were increasingly guided by analytics—many of them from mobile data platforms like Peak Targeting’s.
Yet, no other single factor aligned so directly with the behavioral shifts observed in high-risk users as Peak Targeting’s educational advertising.
Implications and Next Steps
Expansion to Additional Risk Categories
Peak Targeting’s methodology is now being explored by various other states for broader public safety use cases, including:
- DUI prevention outreach.
- Work zone crash mitigation.
- Teen driver safety campaigns.
- School zone driver behavior modifications.