Traffic Crashes Kill 112 In NYC During First Half Of 2023: Study

NEW YORK CITY — Traffic crashes killed 112 people across New York City during the first half of this year, a grim tally that's among the deadliest since the Vision Zero push to eliminate all roadway fatalities, a new study found.

Bicycle riders in particular have faced an especially dangerous year, according to the Transportation Alternatives study released Thursday.

Eighteen cyclists died in traffic crashes during the first sixth months this year, the study found. That's more than all the cyclists killed in all of 2022.

"This is the deadliest year to date for bike riders since the onset of Vision Zero, on track for second deadliest since at least 1983," the study states.

New York City last year saw 258 people die on the city's streets, including a record number of children, data shows.

The trend in deaths this year largely centers around bike riders on streets without protected bike lanes. The study found 92 percent of cyclist deaths involved an SUV or larger vehicle.

But there was at least one positive trend.

The year so far has been safer for pedestrians and older New Yorkers, study found. Fewer than 20 older New Yorkers died in a year's bottom half for the first time in Vision Zero-era history.

"Every life lost is a wholly avoidable tragedy," said Danny Harris, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, in a statement. "This data shows how much more work must be done to protect New Yorkers across our city, and the urgent need to put people first on our streets."