Traffic Crashes Killed 112 people in the First Half of 2023, Including a Vision-Zero Era Record 18 Bike Riders

New York City on pace for the second deadliest year for bike riders in recorded history.

Traffic violence killed 40 people in Queens, a Vision Zero record for the borough.

Council District 31 in southeast Queens continues to have the most fatalities of any City Council district this year.

NEW YORK — During the first six months of 2023, traffic crashes killed 112 people, 6.7% higher than the Vision Zero-era average for the same period, according to a new analysis from Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets. 

This data comes after 2022 saw a record number of children killed in the Vision Zero-era, and 258 New Yorkers lost to traffic violence. The 100th New Yorker killed by traffic violence in 2023 died on June 7 – the earliest day to hit that grim milestone since 2014. 

“Traffic violence is preventable. Every life lost is a wholly avoidable tragedy. This data shows how much more work must be done to protect New Yorkers across our city, and the urgent need to put people first on our streets,” said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “Vision Zero works when our city’s leaders commit to and invest in street safety in every neighborhood. Every project that gets delayed, watered down, or canceled puts New Yorkers at risk. Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez must demonstrate the political will to put people above politics and redesign streets for safety now.” 

“Nobody should have to endure the pain caused by preventable traffic violence. Nobody should have to join Families for Safe Streets. The grief and pain never go away, and when our leaders fail to make life-saving changes and people keep dying on our streets and sidewalks, this grief and pain intensifies,” said Families for Safe Streets member and Policy and Advocacy Committee Co-Chair Julie Huntington. “Our lawmakers have the power to prevent deadly crashes, and their inaction is failing New Yorkers in every borough. New York’s leaders must recommit today to Vision Zero, and take the necessary action to protect our families, our friends, and our neighbors from deadly crashes.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THE FIRST HALF OF 2023:

This is the deadliest year to date for bike riders since the onset of Vision Zero, on track for second deadliest since at least 1983. 18 bike riders were killed during the first six months of 2023. This is double the Vision Zero-era average, the highest in the Vision Zero era, more than at this point in 2022 and 2021 combined, and more than were killed in all of 2022. January, February, March, April, and May all tied or broke the record for monthly number of cyclist fatalities, and nearly one in 10 cyclist fatalities since January 2014 occurred in the last six months.

Queens broke another Vision Zero-era record for the most fatalities. Traffic violence killed 40 people in Queens so far this year – 43% more than at this point last year and up 29% from the Vision Zero-era average. Queens had more deaths on streets with speed limits over 25 mph than the other four boroughs combined, and Queens had as many fatalities resulting from curb jumps as the other four boroughs combined. Additionally, all five child fatalities this year occurred in Queens. 

Drivers of large vehicles are killing bike riders on streets without protected bike lanes. 92% of cyclist deaths in crashes with vehicles involved an SUV or larger vehicle — only one involved a sedan. Of the 14 crashes involving another vehicle, 13 had no protected bike lanes. Protected bike lanes make streets safer for all users, and have been shown to also reduce fatalities by 29% for pedestrians. 

Council District 31 had nine fatalities, the most fatalities of any City Council district in the first quarter. Council District 31, represented by Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Selvena Brooks-Powers, in southeast Queens has fewer than 2% of all New York City residents, but 8% of all fatalities this year. Seven of the 17 motorist deaths this year occurred in the district, the majority of which involved drivers speeding and losing control. Council District 31 was also the deadliest district during the first quarter of 2023, and has the most child fatalities of any district under Vision Zero with more than four times more fatalities than the average council district. 

This year has been safer for pedestrians and older New Yorkers. For the first time in Vision Zero-era history, fewer than 20 older New Yorkers died in the first half of the year. Increasing the number of leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) – timed lights that increase visibility by allowing pedestrians and bike riders to begin to cross the street 3-7 seconds before cars are allowed to go – has been essential to this improvement. Before Vision Zero, New York City had only 250 LPIs, and now there are almost 6,000 in the five boroughs with more installed every day. LPIs have been shown to decrease pedestrian fatalities by 34% and motorist fatalities by 29%. 

HERE’S WHAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST DO TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS:

The Adams administration must follow through with essential street safety projects. Advancing key projects — including redesigning McGuinness Boulevard, establishing the Fordham Road busway, converting a car lane on the Queensboro Bridge into pedestrian space, and expanding protected bicycle infrastructure — is critical for both moving New Yorkers throughout the city and making our streets safer for our most vulnerable road users. Today, bus speeds are 4% slower than the mayor's first month in office, and slower in all five boroughs. The City has promised to build a bike boulevard in every borough, pilot new street safety infrastructure, and construct 75 lane miles of bicycle infrastructure in Priority Bicycle Districts by 2022, but these critical projects have not come to fruition. City Hall must allow DOT to begin building all of these vital safety improvements without delay. 

Albany must pass legislation to implement a weight-based vehicle registration fee. Larger, heavier vehicles are disproportionately deadly and destroying our roads, and New York State must pass legislation to incentivize purchasing smaller vehicles. For every 1,000 pound increase in vehicle weight, there is a 46% increase in motorist fatalities, and a pedestrian struck by an SUV or pickup truck is 41% more likely to die than a pedestrian struck by a sedan at the same speed. 

The Adams administration must comply with the Streets Plan. The Streets Plan is a legal requirement and critical for designing and building safer, slower streets – yet the current administration failed to meet mandated goals in 2022. New York City built only 19.2 out of 30 required miles in 2022, and has built fewer than five miles of the mandated 50 in 2023. The City is also required to build 30 miles of bus lanes in 2023, but has so far built fewer than seven between 2022 and today.

WHAT ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SAYING:

“Traffic fatalities occur far too often in New York City, yet the recent reversals of traffic safety projects point to a deadly lack of urgency. Street safety is a long-term crisis that calls for bold intervention and recommitments to Vision Zero multimodal street redesigns and restorative approaches to driver accountability. Our office is keeping an eye out for the impending evaluation of the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program that will inform how to reduce reckless driving and create safer streets, said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

“We need streets that serve us and keep everyone safe,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “We need to listen to the community and implement DOT’s thoughtfully and meticulously designed project at McGuinness Boulevard which is backed by constituent and elected officials and will keep us safe and prevent needless deaths. I urge Mayor Adams to do the right thing and ensure there are no more traffic-related deaths in our city.”

"Loss of life due to traffic violence in 2023 is heartbreaking and entirely preventable," said Diana Ayala, Deputy Speaker of the New York City Council. "The city must put forth transformational solutions that prioritize the lives of New Yorkers through various road safety measures, and we must acknowledge the public safety concerns that are prevalent within our city sooner rather than later if we hope to save lives."

“The goal of Vision Zero was to realize a City where traffic deaths are nonexistent. However, each quarterly report on Vision Zero has only served to underscore how far away we are moving from that goal,” said Council Member Shahana Hanif. “Once again, we see traffic deaths on the rise and are faced with the reality that 2023 may be the most dangerous year for cyclists since Vision Zero began. This report needs to not only serve as a roadmap to reducing and ending traffic fatalities but also as a strong wakeup call that we need strong policy responses to ensure our streets are safe for everyone.” 

“Traffic fatalities and injuries are still too common, despite efforts by government and communities to make streets safer. Given record fatalities in the first and second quarters of this year, we must dramatically speed up street redesigns and use all of the tools at our disposal to continue to bring safer streets to New York City, including but not limited to piloting and implementing new technology and shared street designs, pedestrianizing open spaces, and increasing bus and bike lane networks. We cannot continue to accept this level of traffic violence, and the second deadliest year on record for cyclists must make clear the urgency to act,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera.

WHAT ADVOCATES ARE SAYING:

"Every life lost due to traffic violence is tragic. Safety must be a priority, and the Worker's Justice Project is committed to working with Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets to make New York City's streets safer for all," said Ligia Guallpa, executive director of the Worker's Justice Project. "Each day, New York City's essential food delivery workers put their lives on the line in our streets. In order to better protect delivery workers and every New Yorker, we must bring all stakeholders to the table so that we can build a safe and equitable micro-mobility infrastructure."

"Mayor Eric Adams must get stuff done now for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders," said Riders Alliance Policy & Communications Director Danny Pearlstein. "Never mind the NIMBYs and the haters, Mayor Adams must turn New York into a City of Yes for safe and equitable streets. New Yorkers are counting on our mayor to keep every one of us safe on our streets whether from gun violence or dangerous, unfair driving conditions, and all the way from Fordham to Far Rockaway." 

"These are damning numbers, but they can reveal a way forward, too. Since SUVs are especially deadly, we should target them for reform. Since cyclists are killed more frequently on unprotected lanes, consistent protection should be a priority. We can see exactly which districts have sacrificed safety and lives to prioritize car drivers -- those streets need urgent, uncompromising change. The Adams administration must see this report as a roadmap that they cannot wait a single second to follow. New Yorkers’ lives hang in the balance while our government hesitates," said Chelsea Dowell, Director of Communications at Open Plans.