New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Shutterstock/Henry Veloso.
New Smyrna Beach tops the list, not only because of its probability of being impacted by a hurricane, but also because of the high likelihood of shark attacks.
Florida’s beaches are undoubtedly beautiful, but many of them are also extremely dangerous, according to a new study by Simmrin Law.
Experts from the firm Simmrin Law evaluated criteria, such as shark bites, hurricane strikes, and surf zone fatalities to come up with a list of the most dangerous beaches in the US, and all of the top ten are in the Sunshine State. Scores for each criterion were compiled to come up with an overall index score out of 100 for every beach.
“While shark attacks often grab headlines, Florida’s beaches rank so high due to the ever-present hurricane risk,” said Michael Simmrin, of Simmrin Law. “Hurricanes create dangerous rip currents and storm surge, raising the overall risk for beachgoers. With summer approaching and vacations on the minds of many Americans, this study shows the importance of putting safety first when considering a trip to the beach.”
Here are the top 10 most dangerous beaches in America, according to Simmrin Law.
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida – 76.04
- Panama City Beach, Florida – 67.75
- Daytona Beach, Florida – 60.01
- Miami Beach, Florida – 47.78
- Cocoa Beach, Florida – 46.35
- Ormond Beach, Florida – 41.57
- Ponce Inlet, Florida – 41.54
- Indialantic Beach, Florida – 41.02
- Melbourne Beach, Florida – 40.92
- Miramar Beach, Florida – 40.63
New Smyrna Beach tops the list, not only because of its probability of being impacted by a hurricane, but also because of the high likelihood of shark attacks. According to International Shark Attack File’s latest report, Florida is the shark bite capital of the world. In 2023 there were 16 unprovoked shark bites in Florida–more than anywhere else in the world. Volusia County, home to New Smyrna Beach, seems to be the hotspot for aggressive sharks. Eight of the 16 bites in 2023 happened in Volusia County.
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