New Yorkers have quite a reputation on the roads, and it's not always the best. But how does the state rank when it comes to fatal auto accidents? Now, some of the numbers from other studies might point to the state having a higher number of fatalities, but also consider the fact that New York has the fourth largest population in the country. If you actually break the number of accident fatalities down per one hundred thousand people, then these numbers might paint a different picture. Is New York actually one of the safest places to drive?

According to the data from Zutobi, New York ranked as one of the least deadly states to drive in the country. If you compare New York to a state like Wyoming, that had 520 fatal accidents with an overall population of under 600,000, according to this study, then we have a far lower percentage of fatal accidents. New York ranked 49th out of 52 (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico). While the state saw 2,068 accidents, only 10.8% lead to any fatalities when you compare it to how many people live in the state. It's not as bad as it sounds.

Zutobi sourced their data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Pennsylvania was 39th, Connecticut was 44th, New Jersey 45th, and Massachusetts was 51st. Wyoming, New Mexico, and Mississippi were the top three spots for deadliest accidents per percentage of the population.

There are always lots of things to watch out for on the roads, including animals. In late 2020, State Farm ranked West Virginia as the state where you're most likely to collide with an animal on the roads (1 in 37 chance). Pennsylvania ranked third, where there's a 1 in 51 chance. New York was 33rd, with a 1 in 130 chance.

In an unrelated story, a driver on the NY State Thruway recently was struck in the head by a stray object that fell off a tractor-trailer that was driving in front of him.  According to the East Syracuse Fire Department, a flying piece of metal went straight through the windshield of the man's truck, and ended up hitting him in the head. The driver survived.

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