The monthly number of pedestrians killed in vehicle accidents in New York City in September reached a record low while the number of people killed in bicycle accidents remained on an uptrend; truck and bus accidents are also on the rise

776 pedestrians, 513 bicyclists, 1236 passengers and 1960 motorists suffered personal injury in motor vehicle accidents in New York City in September compared to respectively 714 pedestrians, 565 bicyclists, 1448 passengers and 2010 motorists in August and 751 pedestrians, 485 bicyclists, 1677 passengers and 1523 motorists in September 2014.

While the number of pedestrians injured in NYC traffic accidents  has been below 1000 since the beginning of 2014, the number of people injured in bicycle accidents stayed over 500 for the last 3 months. The number of motorists injured has also been unusually high and staying above 2000 for the last 3 months.

 

4 pedestrians, 2 bicyclists, 2 passengers and 6 motorists died in motor vehicle accidents in September compared to 11 pedestrians, 3 bicyclists, 2 passengers and 5 motorists in August and 13 pedestrians, 1 bicyclist, 4 passengers and 8 motorists in September 2014. The Vision Zero Initiative is having a positive impact. Since the beginning of the year, it is the fourth month that the total monthly traffic fatalities are below 15. In 2014 it happened only twice and in 2013 the monthly number of people dying on New York City Streets never went below 15.

 

Even though too many people are still being killed or injured in traffic accidents in New York City, the multiple efforts and initiatives launched by Mayor de Blasio to make the streets of New York City safer are starting to be effective with the number of pedestrians being injured or dying in a traffic accident on a clear decreasing trend. 4 pedestrians died in New York in September, a record low. Also since the beginning of the year, the number of monthly injuries was only twice over 800 while it was always above 800 during the whole year of 2013 and during most months of 2014.

 

More and more people are using their bikes in New York City which leads to a higher number of people being killed or injured in bicycle accidents. For the last 3 months the monthly number of people injured in bike accidents was over 500 while in 2013 and 2014 it only happened once each year. The Department of Transportation is adding a lot of protected bike lanes all over the city to protect bike riders and fight this increasing trend of deaths and injuries related to bicycle accidents.

 

There were 566 bus accidents last September compared to 656 in September 2014 and 595 in September 2013.  Even though the global trend shows an increase in bus accidents in New York City, September statistics were better than the two previous years.

 

Truck accidents in New York City have been rising significantly. There were 713 truck accidents in the City in September compared to 672 a year before and 557 the same month two years ago. The monthly number of truck accidents was above 700 most months of 2015 while it only happened 3 times in 2014. The monthly number of truck accidents never went above 700 in 2013 in NYC.

 

Driver inattention continues to be the human factor causing most vehicle accidents in the city (bright blue in the graph below). Following too closely (in dark pink)  is the second cause of accidents and failure to yield the right of way (darker blue) the third one.