Car Crash Statistics – New York
Motor Vehicle Accident and Fatalities
According to data released by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 1,121 people died from motor-vehicle collisions in 2015. This was an increase of 7.7% from 1,041 deaths in 2014 despite a drop of 13% between 2013 and 2014. While the number of fatalities in 2015 is still below the annual average of 1,159 deaths from 2010-2014, it is much higher than the national increase of 7.2%.
Over the past decade, it has seen a consistent decline in traffic fatalities from 1454 deaths in 2006. An aggressive highway safety program may be the reason behind the decline.
There were 230 traffic fatalities in New York City in 2015. This was a decline from 257 deaths occurring in 2014. This is also the second consecutive decline for the city. The Mayor announced a plan called Vision Zero which aims to eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. These figures indicate progress in the right direction. Suffolk County reported 158 deaths followed by Nassau County with 92 deaths. These are the two most populous counties outside New York City. Dutchess County saw 26 traffic deaths and Ulster County reported 16 fatalities.
Causes of Accidents and Fatalities
The primary reasons cited for traffic-related fatalities and accidents include distracted driving and alcohol and drug impaired driving. 28% of driving-related fatalities in 2015 were influenced by alcohol. This percentage remained unchanged from 2014, but this was among the 16 states that saw a decline in alcohol-related traffic deaths. Distracted-driving deaths are on the rise.
Out of a total of 299,452 motorized vehicle-related incidents in the state in 2014, 48,774 were directly related to distracted driving resulting in 100 deaths and 24,201 nonfatal personal injuries. Over 3,000 automobile incidents were alcohol-related and cause 3,813 in personal injuries.
Other causes of fatalities include tailgating, driver fatigue, and road/weather conditions. 277 fatalities occurring in 2014 were due to tailgating and driving at an unsafe speed. The area tends to have inclement weather conditions which often results in unsafe driving conditions.
Crash Trends
Statistics for 2014 by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYSDMV) suggest that the highest number of fatalities occurred on Monday between 3 pm to 6 pm while the highest number of personal injuries were reported on Friday between 3 pm to 6 pm.
Out of the total fatalities in 2014, 1016 were males, and 340 were females. The highest death rate among males was in the 25-29 age group followed by 50-54 years and 21-24 years. Among females, the highest fatalities were observed among females in the 25-29 age group.