With over 110,000 reported collisions in a single year, the startling statistics behind car accidents in New York City reveal a complex and urgent story of risk, resilience, and the ongoing fight for safer streets.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, New York City recorded 110,490 motor vehicle collisions reported to the NYPD.
- From 2018 to 2022, NYC saw an average of 19,245 crashes per year involving injuries or fatalities.
- In 2023, there were 2,400 crashes in Manhattan alone according to preliminary NYPD data.
- In 2022, NYC had 228 traffic fatalities, a 10% increase from 2021.
- Pedestrians comprised 52% of NYC traffic deaths in 2022.
- 2023 saw 20 cyclist fatalities in NYC, up from 12 in 2022.
- In 2022, 54,367 people were injured in NYC car crashes.
- Serious injuries totaled 12,670 in NYC 2022 crashes.
- Pedestrians suffered 18,450 injuries in 2022 NYC crashes.
- Failure to yield was cited in 25% of 2022 NYC crashes.
- Speeding involved in 32% of all crashes in NYC 2022.
- Distracted driving (phone use) in 18% of crashes 2022.
- In 2022, 15,240 pedestrian injuries and 119 deaths in NYC crashes.
- Cyclist fatalities reached 30 in 2023 prelim NYC data.
- 52% of NYC traffic deaths were pedestrians in 2022.
NYC car crash statistics show persistent dangers for pedestrians and cyclists despite some safety improvements.
Contributing Factors
- Failure to yield was cited in 25% of 2022 NYC crashes.
- Speeding involved in 32% of all crashes in NYC 2022.
- Distracted driving (phone use) in 18% of crashes 2022.
- Drunk driving factored in 8% of total crashes in 2022.
- Red light violations caused 12% of intersection crashes 2022.
- Aggressive driving in 22% of rear-end collisions 2022.
- Weather (wet roads) contributed to 9% of crashes in rainy 2022 months.
- Fatigue listed in 5% of nighttime crashes 2022.
- Illegal parking obstruction in 7% of side-swipe crashes.
- Medical emergencies caused 2% of crashes, mostly fatal.
- Commercial truck maneuvers in 15% of multi-vehicle crashes 2022.
- Bicycle lane encroachments led to 11% cyclist crashes.
- Construction zones saw 6% higher crash rates due to factors.
- Wrong-way driving rare but in 1% of head-on crashes.
- Pedestrians jaywalking cited in 14% of ped crashes 2022.
- Seatbelt non-use primary in 40% rollover injury crashes.
- Phone distraction highest in ages 18-24 at 25%.
- Hit-and-run incidents in 12% of property damage crashes.
Contributing Factors Interpretation
If we could just manage to yield, slow down, put down the phone, and generally stop treating our morning commute like a Mad Max audition, we'd likely wipe out the cause of roughly, well, everything on this depressing list.
Fatal Crashes
- In 2022, NYC had 228 traffic fatalities, a 10% increase from 2021.
- Pedestrians comprised 52% of NYC traffic deaths in 2022.
- 2023 saw 20 cyclist fatalities in NYC, up from 12 in 2022.
- Manhattan had 65 fatal crashes in 2022.
- From 2014-2023, NYC fatalities dropped 52% from 299 to 143 in 2023 prelim.
- Drunk driving caused 15% of fatal crashes in NYC 2022.
- Speeding contributed to 58% of fatal crashes in 2022 NYC.
- 42 motorists died in NYC crashes in 2022.
- Intersection-related fatal crashes made up 68% of total fatalities in 2022.
- In 2021, NYC had 199 traffic fatalities, lowest since tracking began.
- Failure to yield caused 29% of fatal pedestrian crashes 2018-2022.
- Dark lighting conditions present in 40% of 2022 fatal crashes.
- Males accounted for 75% of driver fatalities in NYC 2022.
- Ages 25-34 had the highest fatal crash rate per capita in 2022.
- 2022 saw 119 pedestrian fatalities in NYC.
Fatal Crashes Interpretation
For a city proudly driving down long-term fatality totals, our streets remain a grim arena where speeding, inattention, and darkness conspire to make a simple walk or bike ride a shockingly lethal gamble.
Injury Crashes
- In 2022, 54,367 people were injured in NYC car crashes.
- Serious injuries totaled 12,670 in NYC 2022 crashes.
- Pedestrians suffered 18,450 injuries in 2022 NYC crashes.
- Cyclists had 4,210 injuries from crashes in NYC 2022.
- From 2014-2022, injury crashes decreased by 25% in NYC.
- Rear-end collisions caused 35% of injuries in 2022.
- 2023 prelim data shows 48,000 injuries, down 12% from 2022.
- Brooklyn reported 16,500 crash injuries in 2022.
- Head injuries comprised 22% of serious crash injuries 2022.
- Females represented 55% of pedestrian injuries in 2022 NYC.
- Nighttime crashes caused 45% of serious injuries in 2022.
- Intersections saw 60% of injury crashes in NYC 2022.
- Children under 15 had 2,100 injury involvements in 2022.
- Seniors over 65 accounted for 18% of serious injuries.
- Taxi and rideshare vehicles injured 8,500 people in 2022.
- From 2020-2022, injury rates per mile driven dropped 20%.
- Side-impact crashes led to 28% of moderate injuries 2022.
- Unbelted occupants had 3x higher injury severity in 2022.
Injury Crashes Interpretation
While New York City's streets are getting statistically safer with a 25% drop in crashes since 2014, the human cost remains jarring, as over 54,000 people were still injured in 2022, with intersections, nighttime driving, and rear-end collisions acting as particularly ruthless villains in this ongoing urban drama.
Overall Crash Statistics
- In 2022, New York City recorded 110,490 motor vehicle collisions reported to the NYPD.
- From 2018 to 2022, NYC saw an average of 19,245 crashes per year involving injuries or fatalities.
- In 2023, there were 2,400 crashes in Manhattan alone according to preliminary NYPD data.
- NYC's crash rate per 100,000 population was 1,250 in 2021, higher than the national average.
- Between 2014 and 2023, total reported crashes in NYC decreased by 15% due to Vision Zero initiatives.
- In 2020, pandemic lockdowns led to 45,678 crashes, a 50% drop from 2019's 91,298.
- Brooklyn reported 35,210 crashes in 2022, the highest borough total.
- Queens had 28,450 vehicle collisions in 2022 per NYPD records.
- The Bronx saw 15,670 crashes in 2022.
- Staten Island had the lowest with 3,160 crashes in 2022.
- Midtown Manhattan's 34th Street corridor averaged 1,200 crashes annually from 2019-2022.
- NYC crashes peak at 6 PM with 12% of daily total occurring then.
- Weekends account for 28% of all NYC crashes yearly.
- Commercial vehicles were involved in 22% of 2022 NYC crashes.
- From 2012-2022, NYC crash underreporting estimated at 40%.
Overall Crash Statistics Interpretation
While New York's streets are slowly becoming safer thanks to determined policy, the sheer volume of over a hundred thousand collisions a year means navigating the city remains a statistically impressive feat of daily luck.
Vulnerable Road Users
- In 2022, 15,240 pedestrian injuries and 119 deaths in NYC crashes.
- Cyclist fatalities reached 30 in 2023 prelim NYC data.
- 52% of NYC traffic deaths were pedestrians in 2022.
- Protected bike lanes reduced cyclist injuries by 50% in treated areas.
- 4,567 cyclist injuries reported in NYC 2022.
- Pedestrians at fault in 20% of their crash involvements 2022.
- Dooring incidents caused 15% of cyclist crashes in Manhattan.
- 75% of cyclist fatalities involved motorists turning left.
- Mid-block crossings led to 35% pedestrian fatalities.
- Helmet use in only 20% of injured cyclists 2022.
- E-bikes involved in 40% rise of cyclist crashes 2022.
- 60% of ped deaths at signalized intersections despite signals.
- Wheelchair users had 150 injury incidents in crashes 2022.
- Nighttime accounted for 55% cyclist fatalities.
- School zones saw 1,200 ped injuries annually avg 2019-2022.
Vulnerable Road Users Interpretation
The sheer, grim mathematics of our streets reveal a city where pedestrians and cyclists bear the brunt of a dangerous design, yet even a simple protected lane or a glance over the shoulder can cut the carnage in half, proving we know the solutions but lack the will to apply them universally.
Sources & References
- Reference 1DATAdata.cityofnewyork.usVisit source
- Reference 2NYCnyc.govVisit source
- Reference 3NYCwww1.nyc.govVisit source
- Reference 4INJURYFACTSinjuryfacts.nsc.orgVisit source
- Reference 5COUNCILcouncil.nyc.govVisit source
- Reference 6GILMANBEDIGIANgilmanbedigian.comVisit source
- Reference 7VISIONZEROvisionzero.nycVisit source
- Reference 8NHTSAnhtsa.govVisit source
- Reference 9HEALTHhealth.ny.govVisit source