Buffalo Personal Injury Lawyer NewsLocal Statistics On Personal Injuries
New York State’s Safety Snapshot
Almost every state in the country has seen a rise in accident rates since 2020.
New York, unfortunately, is no exception to this worrying trend. Traffic-related injuries and fatalities have surged from one year to the next, with 2022 listed as the most dangerous year for road accidents in the last decade.
According to the Office of the New York State Comptroller:
1. Between 2018 and 2022, more than 1,000 people died in car accidents each year;
2. In the same period, more than 40,000 people sustained serious injuries in traffic crashes; and
3. Factors such as excessive speed and alcohol consumption contributed to about 30% of all fatal collisions.
In a broader perspective, New York remains one of the safer states in the country, with an overall road fatality rate of 5.97 per 100,000 people—less than half the national average of 12.76 fatalities per 100,000 people.
Car Accident Statistics for Upstate and Western New York
New York is a geographically diverse state with a large population.
However, at least 65% of New Yorkers live in and around New York City, which has one of the lowest car ownership rates in the country and, consequently, one of the lowest traffic fatality rates in the state.
Other parts of the state, including Western New York, have different risk profiles.
Here’s what you need to know about car accident statistics in five of the most populous counties in Upstate New York:
1. Albany County, New York: Albany County is the home of the state capital of Albany. Each month, 2 people in Albany County die in traffic accidents, 13 are hospitalized, and 146 receive treatment for collision-related injuries in local emergency departments.
2. Erie County, New York: Anchored by Buffalo, Erie County is one of the most populous counties in Western New York. Each month, 4 people die in traffic accidents, 23 are hospitalized, and 442 are treated for accident-related injuries in local emergency departments.
3. Monroe County, New York: In an average month, Rochester and other Monroe County communities report 4 traffic fatalities, 22 hospitalizations, and 331 emergency department admissions.
4. Niagara County, New York: Niagara County reports 3 traffic fatalities per month, 19 injury-related hospitalizations, and 297 emergency department admissions.
5. Onondaga County, New York: Syracuse and Onondaga County log 5 traffic fatalities, 35 collision-related hospitalizations, and 375 emergency room admissions in a typical month.
Local Safety Trends
Motorists in Western and Central New York face a distinctive set of risks.
These include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Inclement weather. Western and Central New York are two of the snowiest regions in the United States, with accident rates often spiking during winter storms and other inclement weather events.
2. The New York State Thruway. The New York State Thruway is safer, on a per-mile basis than most other highways. However, serious accidents still occur near-daily, and urban corridors in cities like Syracuse have long been identified as problematic.
3. Drunk drivers. Incidences of drunk driving are typically higher in Western and Central New York than in other parts of the state.
4. Distracted drivers. Distracted driving is a statewide problem made worse by the proliferation of smartphones and the presence of long interstate throughways like I-80 and I-90.
5. Poor infrastructure. Western and Central New York have floundering infrastructure. Dilapidated highways, bridges, and other road infrastructure can jeopardize motorists’ safety, often unexpectedly.