According to traffic data statistics released by the New York Police Department (NYPD), 12 people died in the five boroughs of New York City as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Of these 12, one was a driver, one a passenger and the other 10 were pedestrians.
Additionally, there were 17,281 motor vehicle accidents. Of these, 3,118 caused injury or death. What else do we know about accidents in the city during December?
Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents in New York
These injuries and deaths were the result of 32 contributing factors that range from aggressive driving/ road rage to vehicle vandalism. Of the 32, the three most common causes of motor vehicle accident injuries and fatalities were failure to yield right of way, driver distraction and inattention, and following too closely.
Types of Vehicles Involved in NYC Crashes
The statistics also list the types of vehicles involved in the December accidents. There are 18, ranging from ATVs to vans. Not surprisingly, passenger vehicles were the most frequent type of vehicle involved in a crash. However, other types of vehicles, from pedicabs to firetrucks, illustrate the wide range of vehicles to be found on the streets of New York City.
Comparative Statistics
How does New York City fare when compared with other large cities in the United States? According to 2014 edition of America’s Best Drivers compiled by Allstate Insurance, drivers in New York City are 28.8 percent more likely to have a vehicle accident than the national average. This number represents an improvement of 17 percent over 2014.
When compared with cities of over one million people, NYC drivers ranked better than Los Angeles and Philadelphia, but worse than Phoenix, San Diego, San Antonio, Houston, Chicago and Dallas. Comparative state-wide data is also available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It turns out that states such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island have among the lowest fatality rates in the country, despite congested highways and reputedly erratic drivers in these Northeastern states.
Although drivers in New York State are less likely than the national average to be in a motor vehicle crash, the same is not true for New York City, where drivers are almost 30 percent more likely than the national average to be in an accident.