Driving in New York

By Jenny L. Rivera

N.Y. drivers are different from the rest of the world. Their driving speed, like their walking pace, is fast. It’s like a strategic way to say “get out of my way”, using a tactic that effectively communicates their strong sense of urgency and impatience. 

According to the New York State Comptroller, in 2022, New York was ranked 11th in fatalities compared to other states. 

This was due to a range of factors like fatal car crashes,  not wearing a seatbelt, pedestrians, speeding, and intoxication. Fatalities above the legal Blood Alcohol Content Level alone, was at a 45% increase. 

Stony Brook student and psychology major Kayla Jean shared her thoughts on New York Drivers. 

“I do believe that New York has some of the worst accidents. I was stuck in traffic once and I saw one car flipped over and the other on fire,” Jean shared.

Although Jean has grown up in New York, she’d rather drive through places with less traffic. She also mentioned that she never thought she’d ever hear that New York has some of the best drivers. 

“I mean besides all the accidents we do drive well,” Jean said.

Stony Brook student and business major Rebecca Calvin seemed to have other thoughts. 

“I think that New York drivers everywhere are crazy. I’m originally from upstate New York and it’s so bad, I hate it,”  Calvin said.

In a new study, the National Highway Safety Traffic administration (NHTSA) found that the number of car crash fatalities in NY have been on a decline since 2022. 

Both Jean and Calvin are drivers themselves. Jean likes to drive whereas Calvin dislikes it and would much rather public transportation to avoid the wait in traffic. 

“It’s so frustrating, the traffic in New York. It’s beautiful that there is a decline in accidents. They should also do a study on why traffic is so bad. I had to wait to use the bathroom for almost two hours once,” Calvin said. 

Jean on the other hand has grown patience when it comes to driving after being in an accident herself. 

“It was raining, and I was on the Long Island Expressway to go meet my friends. I honestly don’t think I put on my signal because I was so distracted, and the guy next to me hit me. I just thank God I was able to slow down because I could have easily turned over,” said Jean. 

The Long Island Expressway, like many roads, is busy and dangerous.. Traffic can get overwhelming in extreme weather because of minimal visibility and rain. However, it is much safer to be cautious on wet roads rather than take risks. 

“I’ve never experienced an accident on my own, but I know people who have. Luckily, they all came out okay. I honestly think I’m a great driver, but I’ll say again, I just hate it,” Calvin explained.

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, car crashes are highest among teens from ages 16-19 across the United States. 

New York is making headway in decreasing the amount of accidents on roads. Although statistics are improving, it seems that all states, NY included, have room for improvement in the fight to save lives.