Police reported 380,819 motor vehicle crashes in New York State in 2024, according to crash data published on the New York State Open Data Portal. This page gathers current, sourced New York car accident statistics in one place, covering statewide totals, fatality trends, county level numbers, and the most common crash factors.
Data current as of August 2026, refreshed yearly.
Statewide Crashes and Injuries
New York recorded 380,819 police reported crashes in 2024, compared with 381,290 in 2023, 390,855 in 2022, and 372,159 in 2021 (NYS Open Data). Of the 2024 crashes, 116,262 involved a death or a personal injury, according to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, which analyzes New York DMV crash records.
Fatalities and the Five Year Trend
There were 1,101 deaths from motor vehicle crashes in New York in 2024, which works out to 5.5 deaths per 100,000 residents and 0.91 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to IIHS analysis of federal FARS data. Both rates are among the lowest in the country, and the per capita rate is about half the national figure of 11.5. Fatal crash counts recorded by the New York DMV have stayed above 1,000 per year since 2021.
| Year | Fatal crashes in New York |
| 2020 | 945 |
| 2021 | 1,068 |
| 2022 | 1,092 |
| 2023 | 1,022 |
| 2024 | 1,026 |
Source. ITSMR fact sheet on speed related crashes, based on New York DMV data.
Crashes by County
The counts below come from the same Open Data crash dataset and include police reported crashes of all severities for 2024. Suffolk and Nassau counties on Long Island recorded the highest totals in the state.
| County | Police reported crashes in 2024 |
| Suffolk | 40,799 |
| Nassau | 39,177 |
| Erie (Buffalo) | 19,735 |
| Monroe (Rochester) | 18,167 |
| Onondaga (Syracuse) | 10,845 |
| Albany | 9,563 |
Common Crash Types and Factors
- Single vehicle crashes accounted for 58 percent of New York crash deaths in 2024, above the national share of 52 percent (IIHS).
- Speeding was a factor in 33 percent of New York crash deaths in 2024 (IIHS), and the state logged 12,547 speed related crashes involving death or injury that year (ITSMR).
- Pedestrians accounted for 26 percent of New York crash deaths in 2024 and motorcyclists 19 percent, while car occupants accounted for 24 percent (IIHS).
- There were 4,681 personal injury motorcycle crashes in New York in 2024 (ITSMR motorcycle fact sheet).
- Urban roads accounted for 74 percent of the state's crash deaths in 2024 (IIHS).
What the Numbers Mean for a Claim
Statistics describe the overall risk, but an individual claim turns on its own facts. Most injury claims start under New York's no-fault system, which pays initial medical bills and lost earnings regardless of fault, and a lawsuit against the at-fault driver becomes possible when the injury meets the state's serious injury threshold. If you were hurt in a crash, the William Mattar Accident Lawyer’s guides on what to do after a car accident and the average settlement for car accident neck and back injuries explain the first steps and how case value is assessed.
Sources
- New York State Open Data Portal, Motor Vehicle Crashes dataset, built from DMV crash records.
- Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, speed related crash fact sheet, published December 2025.
- Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, motorcycle fact sheet, published February 2026.
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Fatality Facts 2024, state by state, posted June 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many car accidents happen in New York each year?
Police reported 380,819 motor vehicle crashes statewide in 2024. The annual total has ranged between roughly 372,000 and 391,000 across the four most recent reported years, based on the New York State Open Data crash dataset maintained with DMV records.
How many people die in car accidents in New York each year?
There were 1,101 motor vehicle crash deaths in New York in 2024, according to IIHS analysis of federal FARS data. The state DMV recorded 1,026 fatal crashes that same year, a figure that counts crashes rather than individual deaths.
Is New York a safe state to drive in compared with other states?
By the numbers, New York's rate of 5.5 crash deaths per 100,000 residents in 2024 was among the lowest of any state and well below the national rate of 11.5. Crash volume is still high because of the state's population, so injury crashes remain common on New York roads.
Which New York county has the most car accidents?
Suffolk County recorded the most police reported crashes in 2024 with 40,799, followed by Nassau County with 39,177. Among upstate counties, Erie County led with 19,735, ahead of Monroe County with 18,167.
About William Mattar Accident Lawyers
William Mattar Accident Lawyers only handles motor vehicle accident cases and has represented injured New Yorkers for more than 35 years. The firm serves clients in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and on Long Island, with free case reviews available around the clock at (844) 444-4444.