Last year, 1,121 people in NY died from motor-vehicle collisions, a 7.7 percent jump from the 1,041 who died in 2014, according to data released this week by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration. The data showed traffic deaths rising across almost every segment of the population; the last single-year increase of this magnitude was in 1966, when fatalities rose 8.1% from the previous year.
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In New York, 1,121 died in crashes in 2015, compared to 1,041 in 2014.
There are marked differences in the data among NY counties. But in Westchester County, fatalities rose a staggering 63 percent. NSC stressed that seat belts have been shown to be between 45 and 48 percent effective in preventing deaths of front-seat occupants in crashes. Find the breakdown of deaths in all counties here. A year ago was the U.S.’s second warmest on record, according to climate data. Injuries from wrecks increased by 105,000.
But auto-safety regulators have still acknowledged a degree of surprise by the sharp increase.
Traffic deaths resulting from drivers who were under the influence of alcohol increased by 3.2 percent, from 9,943 to 10,265.
Fatal crashes increased across every type of vehicle except for drivers of large trucks.
Nationwide, the report found more people are taking their vehicles on the road, with the total miles traveled increasing 3.5 percent from 2014 to 2015, the largest jump since 1992.
That 7.2% increase in highway fatalities from 2014 marks the end of a almost 50-year trend toward declining fatalities.
For the first time in a decade deaths from traffic accidents are on the rise.
Among the state’s counties, Suffolk County saw the most traffic fatalities past year with 158, followed by Nassau County with 92.
The agency estimates 35,092 people were involved in fatal traffic crashes in 2015.
So why is this happening? The average cost of a gallon of regular gas fell below $2 in January 2016 from $3.70 in June 2014, according to GasBuddy.com, which tracks fuel prices.
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“While many factors likely contributed to the fatality increase, a stronger economy and lower unemployment rates are at the core of the trend”, the NSC said in a statement. The government recorded 47,000 road fatalities in 1965, for a fatality rate of 5.30 per 100 million miles driven. Traffic deaths were up 7.2 percent.
