New analysis says NYC traffic crashes are deadlier than Chicago's

A new side-by-side analysis from ThatCarHitMe.com finds New York City had more than twice as many traffic deaths as Chicago in 2025, even though Chicago reported more crashes. The comparison matters because it suggests crash outcomes vary sharply by city, especially for pedestrians and cyclists.

Why it matters: - New York City’s crash outcomes appear far worse than Chicago’s, despite Chicago reporting more total crashes. - The gap is especially stark for people outside cars, including pedestrians and cyclists. - The analysis underscores how much local conditions can affect whether a crash becomes fatal.

What happened: - ThatCarHitMe.com released a side-by-side analysis of Chicago and New York City crash records. - In 2025, New York City recorded 228 traffic deaths, compared with 94 in Chicago. - Chicago logged 109,112 crashes in 2025, versus 85,543 in New York City. - That means Chicago had about 28% more crashes, even though New York City had more than twice as many traffic deaths. - On a per-crash basis, New York City’s fatality rate was 0.27%, compared with 0.09% in Chicago. - New York City reported 119 pedestrian deaths and 23 cyclist deaths in 2025. - Chicago reported 33 pedestrian deaths and 2 cyclist deaths in 2025.

The details: - The Chicago, IL vs New York, NY — 2025 Car Crash Report is the first in a series of city comparisons from ThatCarHitMe.com. - The platform normalizes and aggregates data from each city’s official open-data portal into a single format. - That standardization is what allows the two cities to be compared on the same basis. - In May 2026, New York City recorded 22 traffic deaths, while Chicago recorded 6. - Chicago logged 9,831 crashes in May 2026, compared with 7,240 in New York City. - New York City’s May 2026 fatality rate was 0.30% per crash, compared with 0.06% in Chicago. - New York City reported 10 pedestrian deaths in May 2026. - New York City also reported 702 pedestrian injuries and 574 cyclist injuries in May 2026. - Chicago reported 2 pedestrian deaths, 238 pedestrian injuries, and 204 cyclist injuries in May 2026.

Between the lines: - Direct city-to-city crash comparisons are rare because jurisdictions record crash data differently. - The analysis suggests that raw crash counts alone do not show how dangerous crashes are. - Matt George, co-founder and CEO of Injuria, said the gap cannot be blamed on New Yorkers being worse drivers than Chicagoans. - George pointed to possible confounding factors including cyclist and pedestrian mode share, the average number of passengers per vehicle, population density, and EMS response times. - George said the platform is meant to bridge fragmented crash data and help prompt public-safety policy changes.

What’s next: - ThatCarHitMe.com plans to publish additional city comparisons. - The platform aims to build toward a broader national picture of how crash outcomes differ by location. - The company says the reports are free and intended for the public, researchers, and journalists. - ThatCarHitMe.com is operated by Injuria, Inc. and funded by The LegalTech Fund. - The platform is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government or law enforcement agency. - More information is available on the company’s LinkedIn page, Instagram account, and YouTube channel.