New York Ranks Safest for Thanksgiving Travel
A new study reveals that New York is the safest state for Thanksgiving travel, but the state leads nation in pedestrian deaths.
An interesting study by Andrew Pickett Law names New York safest state for Thanksgiving travel but the study also says that the state leads nation in pedestrian deaths.
Also See: New York Among Safest U.S. States for Motorcycle Riders
The research team at personal injury law firm Andrew Pickett Law analyzed Thanksgiving traffic fatalities using data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to rank the deadliest states for Thanksgiving travel from 2014 to 2023.
Key Findings:
New York ranks as the safest state nationally with 5.69 deaths in car crashes per one million residents during Thanksgiving—61.74% lower than the U.S. average of 14.88 fatalities.
The state recorded 115 total Thanksgiving fatalities over the past decade (2014-2023).
Despite being the safest state overall, New York leads the nation in pedestrian fatalities, with 31.7% of Thanksgiving deaths involving pedestrians—ranking 4th nationally.
48.3% of New York's Thanksgiving fatalities were drivers, ranking the state 47th nationally for driver deaths.
The Northeast dominates the safest rankings, with five of the top 10 safest states located in the region: New York (1st), Massachusetts (2nd), Rhode Island (3rd), New Jersey (6th), and New Hampshire (7th).
Last year, the National Safety Council estimated 502 deaths on U.S. roads during the Thanksgiving holiday period, with 35% of fatalities involving an alcohol-impaired driver and approximately 57,200 nonfatal medically consulted injuries resulting from crashes.
Safest States for Thanksgiving Driving
Rank | State | Total Fatalities (2014-2023) | Fatalities Per 1M Residents | % Comparison to National Average |
50 | New York | 115 | 5.69 | 61.74% lower |
49 | Massachusetts | 41 | 5.83 | 60.81% lower |
48 | Rhode Island | 7 | 6.38 | 57.12% lower |
47 | Minnesota | 37 | 6.48 | 56.42% lower |
46 | Washington | 68 | 8.83 | 40.68% lower |
45 | New Jersey | 87 | 9.37 | 37.05% lower |
44 | New Hampshire | 13 | 9.44 | 36.57% lower |
43 | Virginia | 90 | 10.43 | 29.91% lower |
42 | Wisconsin | 62 | 10.52 | 29.29% lower |
41 | Pennsylvania | 137 | 10.54 | 29.18% lower |
Percentage of Fatalities by Casualty Type in New York
Rank | Casualty Type | % of Total Fatalities |
1 | Driver | 48.30% |
2 | Pedestrian | 31.70% |
3 | Passenger | 16.70% |
4 | Bicyclist | 3.30% |
The study also identified New York's rankings in driver and pedestrian fatalities:
States with the Most Driver Fatalities
Rank | State | % of Driver Fatalities |
41 | New Jersey | 52.3 |
42 | Alaska | 50.0 |
42 | Hawaii | 50.0 |
44 | Oklahoma | 49.4 |
45 | California | 49.3 |
46 | New Mexico | 48.9 |
47 | New York | 48.3 |
48 | Washington | 47.1 |
49 | New Hampshire | 46.2 |
50 | Rhode Island | 42.9 |
States with the Most Pedestrian Fatalities
Rank | State | % of Pedestrian Fatalities |
1 | Hawaii | 42.9 |
1 | Rhode Island | 42.9 |
3 | Washington | 35.7 |
4 | New York | 31.7 |
5 | Delaware | 30.8 |
6 | California | 28.5 |
7 | New Mexico | 27.7 |
8 | Oregon | 27.6 |
9 | Louisiana | 27.2 |
10 | Alaska | 25.0 |
Andrew Pickett, personal injury lawyer and owner of Melbourne, Florida-based Andrew Pickett Law, commented:
“With millions of Americans on the road this holiday season, it’s more important than ever to prioritize safety. Simple steps like slowing down, staying alert, avoiding distractions, and never driving under the influence can make a real difference in preventing accidents and ensuring everyone gets home safely for Thanksgiving.”
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