NYS Comptroller Motor Vehicle Fatalities Rise Sharply
Written by Tariq on July 2, 2024
Motor vehicle fatalities in New York state rose 25.8% from 2019-2022, with fatalities at the highest level in a decade in 2022, even as the number of vehicle miles travelled, licensed drivers, and traffic accidents have declined, according to a report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. “Traffic fatalities in New York have grown at an alarming rate since the pandemic,” DiNapoli said. “While there are fewer drivers on the road and vehicle safety features have greatly improved, more fatal crashes are occurring. As New Yorkers hit the road for the Fourth of July holiday and summer vacations, let’s drive cautiously and arrive safely.”
There were 1,175 traffic fatalities in New York in 2022, which was the highest number since 2013. Nationwide traffic related deaths grew by nearly 17% while New York’s fatalities soared by 25.8% between 2019-2022. This increase coincides with a 7% decrease in vehicle miles travelled and a 12.5% decline in traffic accidents in New York in this period.
Most fatal car crashes occur on urban roadways, which increased 68% in New York since 2017. In 2022, Long Island led the state in the number of deaths (164 in Suffolk and 81 in Nassau). Regionally, the North Country had the highest per capita fatality rate in 2022 at 12.9 per 100,000 people, while New York City was the lowest at 2.9 per 100,000 people, likely because it has a large number of residents who do not own vehicles.
Source: Office of the New York State Comptroller
