New York Fatal Crash Statistics
In 2014, there were more than 250,000 motor vehicle crashes in New York leading to 1,039 deaths. The leading causes of these fatalities include human, environmental, and vehicular factors. Some of the most significant human factors include driver distractions, failure to yield, tailgating, and speeding. Defective brakes, tire failures, other vehicles were the most common vehicular factors, while animals, slippery pavement, and obstructed views were the most common environmental factors.
About half (540) of the 2014 traffic fatalities were passenger vehicle occupants. Unfortunately, 155 of those occupants were not wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that seatbelts have saved 417 lives and could have saved another 63 lives if all occupants wore their seatbelts every time they traveled.
Though the state requires helmets for all motorcycle riders, the NHTSA reports that 21 of the 148 riders who died in traffic crashes were not wearing helmets, an increase from a ten-year low of 11 riders. The government agency estimates that helmets saved 76 riders and could have saved at least eight more riders if helmets were worn every time they rode.
Key Crash Factors: Speeding and Alcohol
Alcohol-related driving fatalities were lower in 2014 than they were any year between then and 2005. Still, there were more than 7000 crashes involving alcohol in New York, which took the lives of 317 people. More than 27,000 speed-related accidents occurred in 2014, taking the lives of 322 people. Both alcohol-related and speed-related fatality totals for 2014 were lower than any annual totals for the ten years prior.
A closer look at fatal crash types shows-
- 672 fatalities involved single vehicle accidents
- 509 involved at least one vehicle leaving the roadway
- 375 involved traffic at or near an intersection
- 144 involved rollover accidents
- 98 fatalities involved at least one large truck
Pedestrians and Bicyclists
In 2014, about 15,000 pedestrians and more than 5,645 bicyclists were injured in motor vehicle accidents across the state. While the number of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities have fallen from 322 pedestrians to 263 and 49 bicyclists to 46, they also clearly show that the state needs to do more to protect these most vulnerable users from motor vehicle traffic on the roadways they share.
Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident? Call Us Today!
America’s highways and bi-ways are dangerous. If you have been injured in a car accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you need a dedicated team of attorneys and legal professionals fighting for your rights. Our attorneys have a long and proven record of helping the victims of car accidents get the compensation they deserve.
Call us today if you or a loved one were injured in a
- Commercial bus crashes
- School bus accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Truck crashes
- Motorcycle collisions
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Semi-truck crashes
We will fight insurance companies, negligent operators, and reckless drivers to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.