Despite declining numbers statewide of vehicle miles traveled, licensed drivers and traffic accidents, motor vehicle fatalities are on the rise across New York, report suggests

ALBANY, NY- Despite falling numbers of vehicle miles traveled, licensed drivers and traffic accidents statewide, motor vehicle fatalities are on the rise across New York.

This development is according to the office of 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.”

For context, the report suggests that MVA fatalities across the state rose 25.8% from 2019 - 2022. Furthermore, data suggests that traffic fatalities reached a decade peak level in 2022.

There were 1,175 traffic fatalities in New York in 2022, which was the highest number since 2013, the report stated.

Meanwhile, 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.

According to DiNapoli’s office, 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 County 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.

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