Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of NHTSA data, New York recorded 5,601 traffic deaths in 5,238 fatal crashes over the most recent five-year period — 5.7 per 100,000 residents per year, ranking #48 of 50 states (most dangerous first); the US average is 12.3.
Traffic Deaths (5-Yr Total)
Deaths per 100K per Year
State Rank
New York Traffic Deaths by Year
The Most Dangerous New York Cities to Drive In
All 90 ranked New York cities by Road Danger Score (5-year traffic deaths per 100,000 residents, most dangerous first).
| # | City | Danger Score | Deaths (5-Yr) | Deaths per 100K/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hempstead Village | 100/100 | 177 | 61.0 |
| 2 | Tarrytown Village | 100/100 | 24 | 41.2 |
| 3 | Canandaigua | 98/100 | 16 | 30.6 |
| 4 | Lockport | 98/100 | 29 | 28.7 |
| 5 | Fulton | 95/100 | 12 | 21.4 |
| 6 | Newburgh City | 95/100 | 30 | 21.4 |
| 7 | Fredonia Village | 93/100 | 10 | 19.6 |
| 8 | Tonawanda | 92/100 | 14 | 18.9 |
| 9 | Fishkill Town | 89/100 | 17 | 16.9 |
| 10 | Kingston | 89/100 | 20 | 16.9 |
| 11 | Geneva | 88/100 | 10 | 16.3 |
| 12 | Riverhead Town | 87/100 | 28 | 15.7 |
| 13 | Southold Town | 83/100 | 15 | 14.1 |
| 14 | Cortland | 83/100 | 12 | 14.0 |
| 15 | Southampton Town | 81/100 | 40 | 13.3 |
| 16 | Lloyd Town | 78/100 | 7 | 12.6 |
| 17 | Niskayuna Town | 78/100 | 15 | 12.6 |
| 18 | Poughkeepsie | 77/100 | 20 | 12.6 |
| 19 | Amsterdam | 76/100 | 11 | 12.2 |
| 20 | Batavia | 73/100 | 9 | 11.7 |
| 21 | Lewiston Town | 72/100 | 9 | 11.5 |
| 22 | Hyde Park Town | 71/100 | 12 | 11.3 |
| 23 | Stony Point Town | 69/100 | 8 | 10.9 |
| 24 | North Tonawanda | 68/100 | 16 | 10.7 |
| 25 | Saugerties Town | 66/100 | 10 | 10.3 |
| 26 | Massena Village | 65/100 | 5 | 10.0 |
| 27 | Rochester | 64/100 | 101 | 9.8 |
| 28 | Blooming Grove Town | 61/100 | 6 | 9.4 |
| 29 | Oswego | 60/100 | 8 | 9.4 |
| 30 | Elmira | 59/100 | 12 | 9.2 |
| 31 | Gates Town | 58/100 | 13 | 9.1 |
| 32 | Scarsdale Village | 58/100 | 8 | 9.1 |
| 33 | Olean | 57/100 | 6 | 8.8 |
| 34 | Bedford | 55/100 | 7 | 8.6 |
| 35 | Carmel Town | 53/100 | 14 | 8.3 |
| 36 | Mamaroneck Town | 52/100 | 5 | 8.2 |
| 37 | Syracuse | 52/100 | 59 | 8.1 |
| 38 | Plattsburgh | 51/100 | 8 | 8.0 |
| 39 | Colonie Town | 50/100 | 32 | 7.9 |
| 40 | Brighton Town | 49/100 | 14 | 7.8 |
| 41 | Endicott Village | 48/100 | 5 | 7.6 |
| 42 | Niagara Falls | 48/100 | 18 | 7.6 |
| 43 | Buffalo | 48/100 | 104 | 7.6 |
| 44 | Harrison Town | 48/100 | 12 | 7.6 |
| 45 | Schenectady | 46/100 | 25 | 7.3 |
| 46 | Cicero Town | 44/100 | 10 | 7.0 |
| 47 | Fallsburg Town | 43/100 | 5 | 7.0 |
| 48 | Cheektowaga Town | 43/100 | 27 | 6.8 |
| 49 | Hamburg Town | 42/100 | 16 | 6.7 |
| 50 | Lancaster Town | 41/100 | 13 | 6.6 |
| 51 | Utica | 39/100 | 20 | 6.3 |
| 52 | Albany | 39/100 | 32 | 6.3 |
| 53 | Lynbrook Village | 37/100 | 6 | 6.0 |
| 54 | Ithaca | 36/100 | 10 | 5.9 |
| 55 | Watertown | 35/100 | 7 | 5.8 |
| 56 | Webster Town | 34/100 | 13 | 5.8 |
| 57 | Spring Valley Village | 31/100 | 9 | 5.5 |
| 58 | Garden City Village | 29/100 | 6 | 5.3 |
| 59 | Rotterdam Town | 28/100 | 8 | 5.2 |
| 60 | Orchard Park Town | 24/100 | 7 | 4.7 |
| 61 | Rome | 22/100 | 7 | 4.4 |
| 62 | Troy | 21/100 | 11 | 4.4 |
| 63 | Jamestown | 21/100 | 6 | 4.3 |
| 64 | New Windsor Town | 21/100 | 6 | 4.3 |
| 65 | Yonkers | 21/100 | 44 | 4.3 |
| 66 | Haverstraw Town | 19/100 | 8 | 4.1 |
| 67 | Irondequoit Town | 19/100 | 10 | 4.1 |
| 68 | West Seneca Town | 19/100 | 9 | 4.0 |
| 69 | Manlius Town | 19/100 | 5 | 4.0 |
| 70 | Guilderland Town | 18/100 | 7 | 4.0 |
| 71 | Rockville Centre | 18/100 | 5 | 3.9 |
| 72 | East Hampton Town | 18/100 | 5 | 3.9 |
| 73 | Binghamton | 18/100 | 9 | 3.9 |
| 74 | White Plains | 18/100 | 12 | 3.9 |
| 75 | Vestal Town | 16/100 | 6 | 3.7 |
| 76 | Freeport Village | 16/100 | 8 | 3.7 |
| 77 | Amherst Town | 16/100 | 23 | 3.6 |
| 78 | Middletown | 14/100 | 5 | 3.3 |
| 79 | Greece Town | 13/100 | 15 | 3.2 |
| 80 | Auburn | 13/100 | 4 | 3.1 |
| 81 | Ramapo Town | 11/100 | 16 | 2.9 |
| 82 | New Rochelle | 9/100 | 11 | 2.6 |
| 83 | New York City | 7/100 | 822 | 2.0 |
| 84 | Mount Vernon | 6/100 | 6 | 1.7 |
| 85 | Peekskill | 5/100 | 2 | 1.6 |
| 86 | Glen Cove | 4/100 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 87 | Saratoga Springs | 4/100 | 2 | 1.4 |
| 88 | Wallkill Town | 4/100 | 2 | 1.3 |
| 89 | Ossining Village | 3/100 | 1 | 0.8 |
| 90 | Long Beach | 2/100 | 1 | 0.6 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many car accidents happen in New York?
NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System recorded 5,238 fatal car accidents in New York over the most recent five-year period, killing 5,601 people — an average of 1,120 traffic deaths per year.
How dangerous are New York roads compared to other states?
New York averages 5.7 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents per year, ranking #48 of 50 states (most dangerous first). The US average is 12.3 per 100,000.
What causes fatal car accidents in New York?
Of New York's fatal crashes over the most recent five-year period, 20% involved a drinking driver, 33% involved speeding, and 48% happened in dark conditions.
Which New York city is the most dangerous to drive in?
Among ranked New York cities, Hempstead Village has the highest Road Danger Score (100/100) at 61.0 traffic deaths per 100,000 residents per year.