NYC Motorcycle Accident Statistics | 2026 Statistical Analysis

Over the last six months, our research team conducted a comprehensive study analyzing motorcycle accident data specifically within New York City’s five boroughs. 

This report aggregates data from the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), New York Police Department (NYPD) traffic databases, and state highway safety offices to provide the most current insights into motorcycle crash trends, fatality rates, injury patterns, and risk factors affecting motorcyclists on NYC streets.

Key Takeaways: 

• NYC’s motorcycle fatal crash rate is 89 per 100,000 registered motorcycles, nearly twice the rate for motorcyclists in New York State (46 per 100,000) and significantly higher than the national average (56 per 100,000).
• Motorcyclists account for 14% of all traffic fatalities in NYC despite representing only 2% of registered vehicles, demonstrating disproportionate risk on city streets.
• 56% of motorcycle rider fatalities in NYC involve riders under age 35, and 43% of fatality cases involved riders who were not properly licensed to operate a motorcycle.

Disclosure: The settlement ranges and case outcome information provided on this website are for general informational purposes only. All data has been compiled from publicly available sources, industry research, and third-party reporting. This information is not based on the outcomes of cases handled by our firm and should not be interpreted as a promise or guarantee of any specific result in your case.

The following table presents motorcycle fatalities and serious injury crashes in New York City from 2019 through 2025, showing the persistent danger motorcyclists face on city streets.

Key Research Insights:

• The 2025 decline represents the lowest motorcycle fatality count since 2019, with 35 deaths marking a 10% decrease from 2024 and a 26% decrease from the 2023 peak of 47 fatalities.
• NYC’s fatal crash rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles (71 in 2025) remains significantly higher than the New York State rate outside NYC (46 per 100,000), indicating that urban riding conditions pose substantially greater risks.
• Despite motorcycles representing only 2% of registered vehicles in NYC, motorcyclists consistently account for 12-15% of all traffic deaths, demonstrating a fatality risk approximately 6-7 times higher than their share of registered vehicles.

Motorcycle crashes in NYC show strong patterns related to seasonal variation and time of day, with warm weather months and afternoon/evening hours producing the highest crash rates.

Key Research Insights:

• Summer months (June, July, August) account for 40% of all motorcycle injury crashes in NYC, with 1,371 crashes during these three months alone, nearly four times the winter crash total.
• Afternoon and evening hours (12pm-12am) produce 69% of all motorcycle crashes, with 56% occurring after 3pm, suggesting most crashes involve recreational rather than commuting trips.
• The dramatic seasonal variation shows that motorcycle crashes increase by 295% from winter to summer, reflecting both increased ridership during warm weather and potentially less-experienced recreational riders.

Geographic analysis reveals significant variation in motorcycle fatality rates across NYC’s five boroughs, with certain areas experiencing disproportionately high death rates.

Key Research Insights:

• Brooklyn leads NYC in total motorcycle fatalities with 46 deaths over three years, followed closely by Queens with 43 deaths, together accounting for 74% of all motorcycle fatalities citywide.
• The Bronx has the highest fatality rate per 1,000 registrations at 5.2, meaning Bronx motorcyclists face more than five times the risk of Manhattan riders (1.0 per 1,000), indicating that borough infrastructure and road conditions significantly impact safety.
• Staten Island and Manhattan have notably lower fatality rates, with Manhattan’s rate of 0.55 per 100,000 population 76% lower than the citywide average, likely due to lower speeds, better lighting, and more congested traffic that naturally reduce speeds.

Analysis of police-reported crash data reveals the most common contributing factors in motorcycle injury crashes throughout New York City.

Key Research Insights:

• Driver inattention/distraction and failure to yield right-of-way combined cause 38% of motorcycle crashes, highlighting that visibility and driver awareness of motorcyclists are critical safety issues in NYC.
• Passing/overtaking causes 7.8% of motorcycle crashes but only 3.9% of all vehicle crashes, indicating that motorcyclists face unique hazards when attempting to navigate through traffic, a rate twice as high as other vehicles.
• Unsafe lane changes contribute to 8.7% of motorcycle crashes (2.3 percentage points higher than all vehicles), suggesting that motorcycles’ smaller profile makes them more vulnerable to being struck by vehicles changing lanes without adequate observation.