NYC Deadly Driving
4 Most Dangerous Roads in New York
Consider the following facts from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which publishes accident data from the latest year. We’ve assembled this New York accident data and examined it for your consideration to the left. This data is from 2019, which is the latest year available.
I-87 between New York and Montreal
It is a passageway between New York City, the largest metropolitan area in the U.S to Montreal, the second-largest metropolitan area in Canada. It is a very busy road and part of the reason why it's had 150 fatalities in the last ten years, according to WYRK.
Niagara Falls Boulevard (Buffalo)
It was a road built with motor vehicles in mind, not pedestrians. Its design poses a threat and creates dangerous conditions for pedestrians walking across and along the side of the road.
Hempstead Turnpike (Nassau County)
It was a road built with motor vehicles in mind, not pedestrians. Its design poses a threat and creates dangerous conditions for pedestrians walking across and along the side of the road.
Upper Broadway (Manhattan)
Pedestrians tend to cross this road frequently at all times of the day, so it's no wonder why it’s so dangerous.
Most Common Causes New York Car Accidents
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, New York City consistently appears on lists of the nation’s 25 most accident-prone cities.
Most accidents in New York City are caused by a variety of factors, according to the New York City Police Department. The most common ones are:
Distracted Driving is prohibited in New York state, and using any handheld electronic devices while driving is prohibited under state law. Texting, talking, holding, or even looking at a device are examples of this. Despite this, distracted driving remains one of the most common causes of car accidents in New York City, according to a recent study.
Speeding at excessive speeds shortens the amount of time a driver has to react to avoid an accident and bring the vehicle to a safe stop. Traffic in New York City has been out of control during COVID, with speeding cameras capturing over 83,000 violations in one week alone in March when the city was locked down for two weeks.
Drinking and Driving. Drunk or drugged driving is another common cause of motor vehicle accidents in New York City and across the country, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a drunk driver kills someone every 50 minutes.
Breaking the road rules by running red lights and stop signs. We see it every day when drivers speed through a yellow light to avoid having to stop on a red. Running lights and signs are responsible for many right-angle car collisions and catastrophic injuries.
Failure to yield to pedestrians. New York City is a very pedestrian-friendly city, and failure to yield to pedestrians is a serious offense. If you’re a pedestrian who gets hit by a car in New York City, you’re likely to suffer catastrophic injuries, and you’re likely to die as a result.
When changing lanes or passing be cautious. Recent New York City motor vehicle accident statistics found unsafe lane changes and improper passing contribute to fatal crashes.
Tips on ensuring Ensuring Driver’s Safety in New York City
You should be careful when driving behind an emergency or hazard vehicle. This set of vehicles include tow trucks, ambulances, fire trucks, and of course, police vehicles.
Rules of the Road
It is the law to wear a seat belt.
It is not permitted to stop or park in the travel lanes or medians.
Always give a clear indication of your intentions (when turning).
Ensuring Safety For Motorcyclists & Bicyclists
Maintain your position to the right.
If a line of vehicles forms behind you while traveling in the left (passing) lane, you should safely move into the right lane to allow faster-moving vehicles to pass.
Intentions Known
Change lanes with caution, and always use directional signals to communicate when you want to make a turn.
Take a Look Behind You
Check your rear-view mirrors (or right or left if you don’t have mirrors) frequently for other motorists to avoid being rear-ended.
Safety For Drivers
It would help if you never used a rear-facing infant safety seat in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with airbags.
Children under the age of 12 should always ride in the backseat with their seat belts fastened. Regardless of age or seating position, all passengers are required to use their seat belts.
Small children, pregnant women, and older adults who sit in the front seats should be seated as far away from the steering wheel or dashboard.
Keep an eye out for maintenance vehicles and warning signs indicating maintenance or construction zones on the highway, and slow down if the signs indicate that you should.
It is dangerous to drive too close to the vehicle in front of you on the highway. Use the “three-second rule” to ensure that you have enough space between you and the vehicle in front of you.
Turn your headlights on whenever weather or other conditions reduce visibility to 1,000 feet or less or when the windshield wipers are activated.
It is recommended that you take frequent safety breaks when traveling on a longer route. Rest areas are also convenient places to pull over to take a break while driving.
The Thruway Authority also warns motorists to look for deer, particularly during May, June, and October, November.
Reduce your speed if you see deer along the highway or ahead of you.