NEW YORK CITY CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER- LEMMO LAW - WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE HIRING YOUR NYC CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER
You have come to the right place. You are here because someone in your family or friend has had a serious car accident leaving them injured, maybe for life. You need to find the right lawyer for their car accident case.
New York City Car Accident Statistics
New York City ranks 4th for the worst traffic in the nation. Not surprisingly, heavily congested roads in a densely populated area result in a lot of traffic accidents.
NYPD crash data – The grim statistics
How Many Car Accidents Are There in NYC Every Year?
It depends on the year. In 2019, there were a total of 134,224 car accidents in New York City. In 2020, the year of a raging pandemic, reported collisions declined by roughly 50%, for a total of 88,323. In 2021, a year still largely influenced by COVID, accidents increased to a total of 97,059. As of October 2022, there have been 52,341 car accidents year-to-date in the Big Apple based on preliminary data.
So, despite the fact that NYC came to a near-halt in 2020, there was still an average of 303 car accidents on the city's streets every single day that year.
Which Boroughs in New York City Have the Most Accidents?
In 2021, Brooklyn had the largest share of NYC's traffic accidents.
-
Brooklyn: 30,292 (31.2%)
-
Queens: 29,491 (30.4%)
-
Bronx: 17,347 (17.9%)
-
Manhattan: 14,764 (15.2%)
-
Staten Island: 5,165 (5.3%)
How Many New York Car Accidents Result in an Injury?
Typically, one out of every two-to-three accidents in NYC causes an injury. Around half of collisions resulted in injury in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
However, while the total number of car crashes in NYC declined in 2020 and 2021 relative to the previous two-year period, the percentage of those resulting in minor injuries and catastrophic injuries increased. In 2020 and 2021, more than half of the car accidents in the city resulted in an injury.
INJURY-CAUSING ACCIDENTS IN NYC BOROUGHS
Brooklyn not only has the most traffic accidents of any NYC borough in 2021; it also had the highest percentage of injury-causing collisions.
-
Brooklyn: 21,218 (32.6%)
-
Queens: 19,279 (29.5%)
-
Bronx: 12,818 (19.6%)
-
Manhattan: 9,024 (13.8%)
-
Staten Island: 2,954 (4.5%)
If you're involved in a car accident in NYC, there's around a 60% chance you got into an accident in Brooklyn or Queens. Those two boroughs, together, account for 62.1% of all crash-related injuries in the city.
How Many Accidents in NYC Are Fatal?
Every year, hundreds of people are killed in car accidents in New York City:
-
2019: 211 car accident fatalities
-
2020: 235 car accident fatalities
-
2021: 245 car accident fatalities
The years 2020 and 2021 saw a slight surge in the share of fatal crashes, despite a drop in the total number of collisions.
WHICH NYC BOROUGH HAS THE MOST FATAL CAR ACCIDENTS?
-
Queens: 61 crash fatalities (24.9%)
-
Bronx: 47 crash fatalities (19.8%)
-
Brooklyn: 80 crash fatalities (32.65%)
-
Manhattan: 46 crash fatalities (18.8%)
-
Staten Island: 11 crash fatalities (4.5%)
How Common Are Bicycle Accidents in NYC?
Despite increased traffic safety measures, bicyclists are involved in many traffic accidents across the five boroughs. In 2021, there were a total of 5,568 bike accidents in NYC.
Those resulted in:
-
4,619 injuries, and
-
19 deaths.
Brooklyn saw the most bicycle accidents with 2,151 (38.6%). Manhattan had the second most (1,410 or 25.3%), followed by Queens with 1,142 collisions (20.5%), the Bronx (774 or 13.9%), and Staten Island (91 or 1.6%).
How Often Are Pedestrians Involving New York Traffic Accidents?
In 2021, 8.9% of all motor vehicle accidents in the city involved a pedestrian.
That year, there were a total of 8,693 pedestrian accidents. 7,205 caused an injury, while the remaining 125 were fatal.
Brooklyn is the most dangerous borough for pedestrians, while Staten Island is the safest:
- Brooklyn: 2,956 pedestrian accidents (34.0%)
- Queens: 2,002 pedestrian accidents (23.0%)
- Bronx: 1,748 pedestrian accidents (20.1%)
- Manhattan: 1,740 pedestrian accidents (20.0%)
- Staten Island: 247 pedestrian accidents (2.8%)
Statistically speaking, about 3 out of every 5 pedestrian accidents take place in Brooklyn or Queens.
How Many Motorcyclists are Injured or Killed in NYC Accidents?
During a typical year, roughly 1,500 motorcyclists are involved in traffic accidents in the city. In 2021, there were 1,723 motorcycle accidents in NYC, and in 2020 there were 1,521. There were 1,235 and 1,682 motorcycle accidents in NYC in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
Unlike other types of accidents, those involving motorcycles tend to be spread out more evenly across the boroughs, at least in 2021. Brooklyn had the most with 528. Queens (483), the Bronx (293), and Manhattan (329) weren't far behind. Staten Island had the fewest, with 90 reported motorcycle crashes.
Are Trucks Involved in Many New York Accidents?
Trucks are involved in between 7% and 8% of all traffic accidents across New York City. In one recent year, there were a total of 16,434 accidents involving semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and other large commercial vehicles – roughly 7.9%. In another recent year, 8,115 accidents involved large trucks – about 7.3% of the total.
Brooklyn is the site of most of NYC's truck accidents. In the same recent year discussed above, there were 1,633 truck accidents in the borough. Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan also had a significant number of collisions involving trucks – 1,948, 1,788, and 1,633, respectively. Staten Island had the fewest, with 202.
What Are the Leading Causes of Car Accidents in New York City, NY?
According to New York Police Department accident statistics, these were some of the most common causes of motor vehicle collisions in the city in a recent year:
- Distracted Driving: 33,074 reported incidents, a factor in 29.8% of collisions
- Improper Passing: 8,945 reported incidents, a factor in 8% of collisions
- Following Too Closely: 9,082 reported incidents, a factor in 8.1% of collisions
- Failure to Yield: 7,731 reported incidents, a factor in 6.9% of collisions
- Speeding: 4,526 reported incidents, a factor in 4% of collisions
- Drunk Driving: 1,763 reported incidents, a factor in 1.5% of collisions
These, of course, are not the only factors that contribute to car accidents in New York City. If you've been involved in an accident, it is important to seek legal representation immediately. An attorney will carefully investigate the circumstances of your crash, consult with experts on your behalf, establish fault and liability, and fight to maximize your financial recovery.
Injured in a Crash? Call Our Car Wreck Lawyer in New York City For a Free Consultation
Have you suffered traffic-related injuries in NYC or surrounding areas in New York State? If so, contact the Law Offices of Lemmo Law . We will help you understand your rights and seek compensation from those responsible. Your first consultation with our personal injury law firm is free,
Common Car Accident Claims
-
Multi-vehicle accidents
-
Intersection crashes
-
Rollover accidents
-
Left-turn accidents
-
Self-driving car accidents
How many accidents a day happen in NYC? Did you know that to total reported collision in NYC including motorists, bicyclist and pedestrians are reported to be between 625 car accidents every day! Most fatal accidents occur between 4 pm and 8pm. It is a sobering thought when I read the newspaper or log in to CBS New York or the Daily news to learn that on January 8 2022 two people were killed in separate crashes in Queens and the Bronx. Just today February 5 2022 there was Brooklyn fatal crash in Crown Heights , and two were killed in an early Sunday morning crash on Northern Parkway. In 2014, car crashes in Manhattan sent 3,176 people to the emergency room for medical care, while 330 people required hospitalization. Forty people lost their lives in crashes that year.
Those emergency and hospital visits resulted in $36.5 million in medical bills. The emergency room patients walked out the door with a bill for almost $3,000, while the average charge for someone hospitalized was $82,974.
That only covers medical care they received shortly after the collision; it's likely that patients also had to pay for any subsequent medical care, surgeries, examinations, or physical therapies they may have needed.
And of course, medical bills aren't the only sources of financial pain that people may suffer following a serious car wreck. They may miss work during recovery or, depending on the gravity of their injuries, some may even lose their jobs or an entire career.
WHY DO I TELL YOU THESE SOBERING ACCIDENT STATISTICS ?
BECAUSE IF YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER ARE IN AN ACCIDENT, YOU NEED TO HIRE THE BEST LAWYER FOR YOUR CASE . YOU MAY BE UNABLE TO WORK , OR PERMANENTLY DISFIGURED OR HAVE CHRONIC PAIN OR BROKEN BONES.
BEAR WITH ME AS I REVIEW THE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE AFTER AN ACCIDENT TO HELP YOU OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBER MOVE FOWARD, PAY YOUR MEDICAL BILLS, AND RECOVER JUST COMPENSATION FOR YOUR INJURIES !
When examining the cause of the crashes, the state concluded that drivers who used alcohol or were speeding were more likely to cause crashes resulting in the most severe injuries.
The most expensive injury-related crashes were most frequently caused by driver distraction, failure to yield to right-of-way, or disregard for traffic control. Recently, and especially in the Upper West Side and other boroughs of NYC , there was enacted a speed reduction from 30 mph to 25mph to help curb the number of accidents and traffic fatalities .
What's particularly stunning about these findings is that, according to New York State’s Department of Health, “These crashes are not accidents! They are not random, uncontrollable acts of fate, but occur in predictable patterns, with recognizable risk factors, and among identifiable populations. A crash-related injury is a predictable and preventable event!”
In other words, in most cases, someone was clearly responsible usually due to distracted driving.
Here are some tips you should do after a car accident :
1. Call 911
New York law requires that you remain at the scene if you are involved in a motor vehicle accident. You should call the police or 911 and inform them if there are injuries involved . Don't leave the scene of the accident before the authorities arrive to investigate or they may charge you for hit and run.
2. Exchange information with the other driver or obtain information if you are a pedestrian
You are also required by the law to provide personal information to an investigating officer. You should give your:
-
Name
-
Address
-
Driver's license information
-
Vehicle registration
-
License plate number
-
Insurance information
3. File a car accident report
All drivers involved in the crash are required by the law to file an accident report within 10 days if there was injury, fatalities, and property damage over $1,000. You must fill out the form and make sure all the information you provide is accurate. Submit the form to the Department of Motor Vehicles. You need to send the form to:
Crash Records Center
6 Empire State Plaza
PO Box 2925
Albany, NY 12220-0925
You could be charged with a misdemeanor if you fail to file this report. Worse, your driver's license or registration could be suspended.
Also, you should obtain copies of the other driver's and the investigating officer's accident reports. Submit your petition online or by mail with the Department of Motor Vehicles.
4. Take photos of the scene and damage to the vehicles involved if you are able
Before evidence is lost or destroyed, you must secure all of them as much as you can while you're still at the scene.
-
Photos and video of the scene, which includes the injuries suffered, damage to vehicles, and the conditions of the scene of the accident
-
Surveillance video footage from nearby commercial buildings
-
Statements from witnesses and their contact information