Which NYC Borough Has the Most Car Accidents?

Does the Borough With the Most Crashes Also Have the Most Serious Accidents?

Not necessarily. "Most crashes" and "most dangerous" answer different questions. The 2025 traffic fatality numbers demonstrate why.

New York City recorded 205 traffic deaths in 2025, down 19% from 253 in 2024 and the lowest annual total ever recorded. Brooklyn had the largest number of traffic fatalities in 2025, but Queens had led the city the previous year.

These are all traffic fatalities, not exclusively people killed in passenger car collisions. They include different types of road users and should not be considered only "car accident deaths."

Queens had fewer total collisions than Brooklyn in 2024, but more traffic fatalities. In 2025, Brooklyn recorded the most traffic deaths, while the Bronx experienced the largest percentage decline.

NYC DOT also reported that deaths among drivers and motor vehicle occupants citywide fell 40% in 2025. Total traffic injuries were also trending downward. A borough's safety cannot, therefore, be reduced to a single number.

Brooklyn: NYC's Highest Overall Crash Volume

Brooklyn's position at the top of NYC collision statistics is remarkably consistent. That is partly understandable given the borough's size and population. Brooklyn also contains an extensive mixture of residential streets, major commercial corridors, highways, bridge approaches, and intersections.

Its traffic environment changes dramatically from neighborhood to neighborhood. A driver on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway encounters very different hazards from someone traveling along Atlantic Avenue or navigating a residential intersection.

The numbers also demonstrate why raw totals require context. More collisions do not establish that Brooklyn residents are worse drivers or that any particular street is inherently unsafe. Crash totals reflect both exposure and risk: how many vehicles use the roads, how far they travel, and how those roads are designed all influence the numbers.

If you were injured in a crash within the borough, you can learn more about your legal options during a free case review with a dedicated Brooklyn car accident lawyer.

Queens: Extensive Roads and Heavy Vehicle Travel

Queens consistently competes with Brooklyn for the highest collision totals in New York City. Its driving environment helps explain why.

Queens has an extensive network of neighborhood streets and major roads, along with highways and parkways, including the Long Island Expressway, Grand Central Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway, Cross Island Parkway, and Belt Parkway. The borough also carries traffic to and from Long Island and the city's airports, as well as everyday neighborhood and commuter traffic.

Queens' statistics reinforce the distinction between crash frequency and severity. It ranked second behind Brooklyn in 2024 total collisions, yet Queens recorded 74 traffic deaths that year—more than any other borough. In 2025, that number fell substantially to 57.

After a car crash in Queens, partner with a dedicated Queens car accident lawyer to protect your rights.

The Bronx: Neighborhood Traffic Meets Major Highways

The Bronx generally falls below Brooklyn and Queens in raw collision totals, but its road network presents its own risks. Drivers encounter dense neighborhood streets alongside major routes such as the Cross-Bronx Expressway and the Major Deegan. Traffic entering and leaving Manhattan, Westchester County, and other parts of the region also passes through the borough.

One recent statistic is particularly encouraging. Traffic fatalities in the Bronx fell from 54 in 2024 to 33 in 2025, a 39% decrease and the largest percentage decline among the five boroughs.

That improvement does not mean serious crashes have disappeared. It does show why crash rankings should be dated and periodically updated rather than treating one year's data as a permanent description of borough safety.

If you were injured in a Bronx collision, reach out to an experienced Bronx car accident lawyer to guide you through the claims process.

Manhattan: Heavy Traffic Without the Highest Crash Total

Someone watching Midtown traffic might reasonably assume Manhattan has the most car accidents in NYC. The statistics say otherwise.

Manhattan has extraordinary traffic density, but its transportation patterns differ from those of the outer boroughs. Public transportation carries a substantial share of commuters, while congestion can limit vehicle speeds on many streets.

Manhattan also has an unusually complex mix of cars, taxis, for-hire vehicles, buses, delivery vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians sharing a comparatively small geographic area. Those conditions create significant collision exposure without pushing Manhattan above Brooklyn or Queens in total crashes.

If you were one of the few people injured in a downtown crash, schedule a free consultation with a Manhattan car accident lawyer.

Staten Island: Fewer Crashes but a Different Driving Environment

Staten Island consistently records the fewest total collisions of the five boroughs. That result should not be surprising given its smaller population.

But Staten Island also differs from the rest of NYC because residents rely more heavily on automobiles, and the borough contains highways and higher-speed routes such as the Staten Island Expressway and West Shore Expressway.

In other words, fewer crashes do not mean every Staten Island road is safer or that an individual collision is likely to be less severe.

The borough recorded 13 traffic fatalities in 2025, compared with 12 in 2024. It was the only borough that did not experience a year-over-year decline, although the small numbers mean a change of just one fatality produces a noticeable percentage difference.

Contact a dedicated Staten Island car accident lawyer to answer your questions after a crash in this borough.

Why Do Some NYC Boroughs Have More Car Accidents Than Others?

Raw collision totals are influenced by much more than driver behavior. For example:

Population-adjusted crash rates and collisions per vehicle-mile traveled can answer a different question from raw totals. If one borough records more crashes simply because substantially more vehicles travel more miles there, its raw collision total does not necessarily establish a greater risk per trip.

That's why labeling one borough the "most dangerous borough for car accidents" requires defining exactly what "dangerous" means.

What Causes the Most NYC Car Accidents?

NYPD collision reports track contributing factors identified in reported crashes. Driver inattention or distraction repeatedly appears among the most common factors, while failure to yield right-of-way, following too closely, unsafe lane changes, and unsafe speed also contribute to crashes across the city.

The precise distribution changes by borough and reporting period. For example, an expressway-heavy area may generate different crash patterns from a neighborhood dominated by signalized intersections. A rear-end collision during highway congestion presents different factual questions from a left-turn crash in Manhattan.

Contributing-factor statistics also require caution. The factor recorded in an initial collision report is not necessarily a final legal determination of negligence. Some reports identify an unspecified factor, while later evidence may reveal information unavailable immediately after the crash.

What Do NYC Car Accident Statistics Not Explain?

NYC maintains an unusually rich collection of collision data. The NYPD publishes monthly collision statistics by borough, intersection, highway, bridge, and tunnel, while TrafficStat provides citywide and borough statistics updated weekly. But even good data has limits.

Crash statistics measure reported events—not individual fault. A borough's total does not tell us whether one driver was speeding, looking at a phone, following too closely, or had the right of way in a particular collision.

The numbers also do not measure exposure equally. Raw borough totals are not adjusted for population, number of licensed drivers, vehicle miles traveled, daily commuters, roadway mileage, or through-traffic.

Finally, different datasets measure different outcomes. These terms should not be treated interchangeably:

• Total collisions count reported crashes.
• Injury collisions measure crashes resulting in reported injuries.
• Motorist injuries concern people occupying motor vehicles.
• Traffic fatalities can include motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users.

The data cannot support a claim such as "Brooklyn has the most crashes, so Brooklyn has NYC's worst drivers". That distinction matters whenever NYC car accident statistics are used to compare safety across boroughs.

What Happens After a Car Accident in Any NYC Borough?

Borough statistics can identify patterns, but a personal injury claim depends on the evidence from the individual collision.

Where the crash occurred may influence which police precinct responded, where witnesses or video can be found, and where litigation is ultimately brought. But liability still depends on facts such as what each driver did, whether traffic laws were violated, what physical or electronic evidence exists, and whether those actions caused the injuries.

The same principle applies to damages. Citywide statistics cannot determine the value of an individual claim. The nature of the injuries, medical treatment, ability to work, future needs, insurance coverage, and applicable New York law all matter.

After a Crash in any NYC Borough, Reach Out to the New York Car Accident Lawyers at Hach & Rose, LLP

Citywide data can show where crashes happen most frequently, but it cannot determine who caused your accident or what your injuries have cost you.

At Hach & Rose, LLP, our NYC car accident lawyers investigate car crashes, preserve evidence, identify responsible parties, document clients' losses, negotiate with insurers, and prepare serious cases for trial when defendants refuse to resolve them fairly.

The Hach & Rose, LLP team has recovered more than $1 billion for injured clients. We are a trial-ready New York plaintiff's firm—not a settlement mill—and our lawyers are prepared to try serious car accident cases before a jury when necessary.

Call (212) 779-0057 or contact Hach & Rose, LLP online for a free, confidential consultation. Our team is available 24/7 to answer your questions.