New York Ranks Worst Among States for Public Transport Safety

Recent data has highlighted the states where public transport users are most at risk of collisions, injuries, and fatalities, naming New York as the most dangerous state in the country.

The worst states for fatalities, collisions and injuries occurring in or from public transport

 The data, compiled by Las Vegas personal injury lawyers H&P Law, looked at the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to determine which states’ public transport poses the highest risk to users. The study collated all injuries, collisions, and fatalities on public transit vehicles between 2010 and 2023. This was then scaled against the population of each state to determine which had the highest rate per 100,000 people.

The study showed that New York had the highest accident rate, 317% higher than the national average (55.2), at 230.3 incidents per 100,000 residents. While the state is one of the most populated in the country, this rate is still shockingly 39% higher than the next most dangerous. New York saw 45,732 accidents across this period, with the state seeing 110 transit accidents and 33 rail incidents last year. Since 2010, 1,594 people have lost their lives due to accidents on public transport in the state.

Illinois was the second most dangerous state, with a rate of 164.8 incidents per 100,000 people. The Midwestern state has seen approximately 20,910 collisions, injuries and fatalities involving passengers since 2010, leaving them with a rate 198% higher than the country’s average.   

Surprisingly, one of the least populated states comes next, with Delaware ranking third least safe for public transport. The state has seen a rate of 159.9 accidents per 100,000 residents, marking an 189% increase above the average. Since 2010, Delaware’s residents have seen 1,607 incidents involving public transport, including 573 transit collisions and 19 rail fatalities since 2010.

Ranking as fourth most dangerous with a rate of 136.2 per 100,000 residents is Pennsylvania. Another Northwestern state, Pennsylvania has seen approximately 17,725 accidents, collisions and fatalities combined since 2010, including 594 deaths of passengers.

In fifth place is Maryland, which has a rate of 120.6 incidents per 100,000 residents. Last year, Maryland saw five deaths on its public transport, and since 2010, it has seen over 4,853 injuries reported related to public transit.

Massachusetts emerges in sixth place, citing a rate of 110.8 incidents per 100,000 residents. In total, Massachusetts has witnessed a substantial 100% increase above the national average in accidents, collisions, and fatalities.

Moving on to seventh place, New Jersey follows closely with a rate of 99.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, seeing a concerning 80% increase compared to the national average. This includes over 5,460 injuries due to public transport accidents.

Eighth on the list is Missouri, with an incident rate of 88.5 per 100,000 residents. Since 2010, the state has had 5,463 incidents, injuries, and collisions.

Following them, Hawaii is the ninth worst state with a rate of 87.7 incidents per 100,000 residents citing 1,269 instances of public transport accidents and injuries since 2010, including 726 injuries.

Rounding out the top ten, Connecticut emerges with a rate of 87.1 incidents per 100,000 residents. Connecticut experienced a significant 57% higher rate than the national average and, over the past decade, the state has witnessed around 3,138 incidents

On the other side of the rankings, Wyoming was revealed to be the safest state for passengers, with a rate of just 3.3 incidents per 100,000- a 94% decrease from the national average. The state has seen just 19 combined collisions, fatalities, and injuries since 2010. It has a 99.5% decrease in this rate compared to New York.

According to the data, the second safest is South Dakota, which saw a rate of just 3.56 occurrences per 100,000 residents. The state reported just 31 instances since 2010, with just one transit collision recorded since then.

In third safest position is Maine, only narrowly missing the second spot, which saw a rate of 3.58 occurrences per 100,000 residents. Despite other Northeastern states ranking high on the least safe list, America’s easternmost state ranks highly on the least dangerous list, reporting only 48 collisions, injuries, and fatalities since 2010, with no recorded fatalities from motor vehicle transport in this time.

Next on the list is another Northeastern state, New Hampshire. According to the latest data, the state has seen a rate of just 5.6 instances of injuries, collisions, and fatalities per 100,000 residents. Incredibly, in the last decade, there has not been a single transit fatality, with the last one occurring in 2011.

Idaho comes in fifth with a rate of 6.1 per 100,000 people – an 88% decrease from the average. Since 2010, the state has reported only 117 cases, although 9 of these were rail fatalities that occurred last year.

  Moving on to the sixth safest state, Alabama comes next with a rate of 9.3 incidents per 100,000 residents. The southern state has reported just 170 injuries as a result of public transport.

Following them in seventh place, Kansas is next, with a rate of 9.4 incidents per 100,000 residents – a reassuring 82% decrease compared to the average.

  Vermont emerges as the eighth safest state for public transport, with a rate of 10.8 incidents per 100,000 residents and only 70 combined fatalities, injuries, and collisions since 2010.

Ninth on the list is Arkansas with a rate of 12.8 incidents per 100,000 residents. The state has seen just three transit fatalities since 2010.

  Rounding out the top ten safest states for public transport, Mississippi comes next with a rate of 12.9 incidents per 100,000 residents. Mississippi has managed to maintain a commendable safety standard, recording only 379 incidents over the past decade and only one public transport fatality since 2010.

Commenting on the findings, H&P Law partner Matthew Pfau said: “Many people rely on public transport for a multitude of reasons, and it is concerning to see hugely populated and visited states such as New York rank highly on this list.

“It should be essential for policymakers and transportation authorities in the states ranking as most dangerous to see what is causing such issues and implement strategies to combat them and ensure safer modes of transport are available.

“From a legal perspective, it is crucial to recognize the rights of those harmed due to negligence or inadequate safety measures. State governments should want to protect their residents by ensuring all public transport methods are adequate, and they must take accountability where there are issues. Taking precautions ahead of time can save them millions in lawsuits and, most importantly, prevent any loss of life.”