ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — While Florida is known for its white sand and stunning beaches, one study shows some along the Florida coast are riskier than others.
A report by a digital travel publication, Travel Lens, curated a list of the top 10 most dangerous beaches across the United States and seven beaches in the state of Florida topped the list.
Factors considered in scoring the beaches on a 10-point danger scale include hurricanes, surfing fatalities, shark attacks and surf zone fatalities. Data was also collected from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
New Smyrna Beach on Florida's upper east coast comes in at No. 1 on the list. Since 2010, New Smyrna Beach has experienced 32 shark attacks and 10 surf zone fatalities, according to Travel Lens data.
Each of the seven Florida beaches on the list experienced 120 hurricanes dating back to 2010.
Take a look at the 10 most dangerous beaches in the U.S., according to Travel Lens.
- New Smyrna Beach, Florida – 8.14/10 danger score
- Cocoa Beach, Florida – 7.57/10 danger score
- Ormond Beach, Florida – 7.48/10 danger score
- Panama City Beach, Florida – 7.16/10 danger score
- Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – 6.61/10 danger score
- Melbourne Beach, Florida – 6.35/10 danger score
- Jacksonville Beach, Florida – 6.02/10 danger score
- Oak Island, North Carolina – 5.54/10 danger score
- Gulf Shores, Alabama – 5.38/10 danger score
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida – 5.37/10 danger score
While the data shows the potential dangers beachgoers could encounter, Travel Lens also shared safety tips to keep in mind when visiting coastal waters around the country.
- Always swim in a lifeguarded area
- Never swim alone
- Check weather warnings and water conditions before heading to the beach