More motorists than pedestrians died in New York City streets last October

10 motorists and 7 pedestrians died in NYC traffic accidents in October. No fatalities were recorded among cyclists and vehicle passengers. Truck accidents reached a record high while bus accidents were unusually low for October. Motorcycle accidents started to decline compared to the summer months as the temperature drops and bikers keep their motorcycle in the garage.

The total number of monthly traffic deaths continues to decline despite a rise in the total number of monthly accidents in the city. Traffic injuries continue to rise as well.

Over the last five years while Vision Zero initiatives focused mostly on making the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists, distracted driving has led to a significant increase in accidents injuries and fatalities.

Pedestrians used to be the most at risk of dying in traffic accidents in New York City however for the last two years the monthly number of motorists deaths has often been higher that the monthly number of pedestrian deaths. It was the case again in October. Over the last 3 months the number of motorists deaths never went below 10 for 3 consecutive months the first time over the last 5 years.

Motorists injuries are on a trending rise. Their average monthly number almost doubled compared to 2013 and 2014. Since approximately 2016,  more than 2000 people driving around the city are being injured almost every month.

7 pedestrians were killed on the streets of New York last October compared to 15 the previous month and respectively 7, 14, 18, 15 and 15 during the same month of 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013.  Pedestrians fatalities are the main focus of Vision Zero. During the winter months as the risk of fatalities increases for pedestrians, the annual dusk and darkness campaign reminds road users to be more cautious. As a result, pedestrian fatalities were at their lowest in October during the last two years. Pedestrian injuries also recorded their lowest number for October since Vision Zero started.

Mayor de Blasio has been pushing New Yorkers to use bikes to commute around the city instead of motor vehicles. With Citi Bike continuing to expand its rental network all over the 5 boroughs and the DOT implementing more and more protected bike lanes, the number of people biking around the city has been increasing exponentially especially during the warm months.

The NYPD recorded 573 bicycle accidents during the month of October, the exact same number that was recorded five years ago in October 2013 while there were much less people using bikes in the city.  While in October 2013, two cyclists died in these accidents, none of them died this year but more were injured. 441 cyclists suffered personal injury in October 2018 compared to 429 in October 2013.

Motorcycle accidents also decreased in October compared to the summer months as gradually less and less people use their bike when the temperature drops. 264 motorcycle accidents were recorded in the city last October. It went back to the same level as October 2016 after a record number of accidents in October 2017.

Bus Accidents statistics vary a lot from one month to the other. October and May are usually the months with the most accidents. There were 654 bus accidents in New York City in October 2018 compared to 771 in October 2017 and respectively 642, 726, 698 and 680 in October 2016, 2015, 2014 and 2013. While October 2017 was one of the worst months of October for bus accidents, last October was one of the best.

Truck accidents were at their highest last October in the city at 1783. There was only one time, in June 2016, that this number was reached. For the last 3 years bus accidents have reached numbers never seen before. In October 2013, 2014 and 2015  there were respectively 635, 713 and 827 truck accidents. After that, for the 3 following years the number of truck accidents in October jumped to 1425, 1528 and 1783. This is an astonishing and scary increase in the number of truck accidents in New York City.

Recently the city has been working on improving safety related to commercial garbage trucks which are considered some of the most dangerous type of trucks in New York City. However statistics clearly indicate than more needs to be done to protect New York road users from dangerous truck accidents.