New York is seeing a sharp decline in the number of fatal crashes, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) reported last week.
Overall, fatalities fell from 766 between January and October in 2024 to 681 during that same timeframe this year.
Motorcycle fatalities also decreased, according to preliminary data from the University at Albany’s Institute for Traffic Safety Management & Research. The number of fatalities in motorcycle crashes dropped from 157 in 2024 to 134 in 2025.
“While these declines in fatal crashes are dramatic and wonderful to see, it is critically important that we continue our efforts to reduce them further,” said Mark J.F. Schroeder, GTSC Chair and Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles. “Any life lost on our roads is one too many. Our message to all New Yorkers is to drive safely, do not drive impaired, keep your mobile devices out of reach and concentrate on the road in front of you.”
This year, GTSC engaged in a series of statewide marketing campaigns focused on reducing impaired driving, distracted driving, speeding and motorcycle safety. GTSC works with local and state law enforcement throughout the year to fund targeted enforcement campaigns focused on impaired, distracted and drowsy driving, and it launched a ‘Drive Safe Long Island’ campaign to educate residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties about dangerous driving, with plans to expand it to ‘Drive Safe New York’ for 2026.
In upstate New York, the numbers of fatalities in crashes declined from 490 to 420. On Long Island, the number rose slightly from 103 to 110. On Long Island, the number of fatalities in motor vehicles remained at 68, but the number of pedestrians killed rose from 32 to 35 and the number of bicyclists who died rose from three to seven.
The critical components to reducing traffic fatalities are education, enforcement and engineering. GTSC works with law enforcement partners at the state, county and local level to educate the public about safe driving and to support enforcement efforts targeting dangerous behavior.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G, James said, “The recent decline in fatal crashes is a testament to the high level of commitment to traffic safety by our troopers and law enforcement partners. Educating the motoring public about the risks associated with impaired and distracted driving, improper use of safety restraints, and speeding is only a portion of it. Everyone must do their part to ensure the safety of New Yorks roadways and contribute to the downward trend of fatal crashes. I thank the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for their shared mission in safer travel for us all.”
The New York State Department of Transportation has also adopted a Safe System Approach toward Zero Deaths that involves designing and managing road infrastructure to keep the risk of human error low and minimizing the likelihood of fatality or serious injury during crashes. As part of that approach, NYSDOT continually reviews conditions along state highways and, where necessary, seeks innovative projects and solutions to enhance safety for all users of the transportation system. Safety is always NYSDOT’s top priority.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Safety is at the core of everything we do at the New York State Department of Transportation and with our ‘Safe System Approach Toward Zero Deaths’ we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure that New Yorkers get where they need to go safely and without incident. The reduction in fatal crashes is significant and we are grateful to the work of our team here at New York State DOT who work every day to advance our Safe System Approach Toward Zero Deaths, as well as the collaboration with our partners in state government. Governor Kathy Hochul is leading us forward as we all work together to achieve the goal of zero deaths on our highways.”
