10 of the Most Dangerous Roads to Drive on In New York This Summer

If you're planning a summer road trip across New York, you might want to pay a little extra attention to where you're driving.

Summer is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year. Whether you're heading to the Catskills, the Adirondacks, the Jersey Shore, or just making the daily commute, more cars on the road often means more crashes.

Fatal Crashes on New York Roads

A new study from car insurance experts at iSelect analyzed nearly 62,000 fatal crashes that happened during the summer months (June through August) since 2020. Looking specifically at New York, researchers found 1,898 fatal crashes have occurred during those three months alone.

What stood out the most? Some of the deadliest roads in the state run right through the Hudson Valley.

Google Maps

The 10 Most Dangerous Roads In New York During Summer

According to the study, these roads have had the most fatal crashes during the summer months since 2020:

1. Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) – 22 fatal crashes
2. U.S. Route 9 – 19
3. Interstate 90 – 16
4. U.S. Route 9W – 15
5. Southern State Parkway – 15
6. Sunrise Highway (Route 27) – 15
7. Interstate 81 – 14
8. Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway) – 12
9. Route 52 – 11
10. Route 12 – 10

For Hudson Valley drivers, several of those roads probably look pretty familiar.

New York's Most Dangerous Roads

Interstate 87 (New York State Thruway) stretches through much of the region, including Orange, Ulster and Rockland counties. U.S. Route 9 runs through Dutchess County communities including Fishkill, Wappingers Falls, Poughkeepsie, Hyde Park and Rhinebeck.

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Route 9W is another major Hudson Valley roadway stretching across Ulster County, while Route 52 cuts through Orange, Dutchess and Putnam counties.

One road you might have expected to see is Taconic State Parkway. Despite its reputation for winding curves, changing elevations and heavy traffic, the Taconic didn't crack the top 10 list based on this summer fatal crash analysis.

June Is The Deadliest Month

If you're hitting the road this summer, June has proven to be the most dangerous month in New York.

Researchers found:

• June: 355 fatal crashes
• July: 339 fatal crashes
• August: 329 fatal crashes

The study also found the most dangerous time to be on the road is 9 p.m., when more fatal crashes occurred than any other hour of the day. Other high-risk times included 8 p.m., 10 p.m. and the evening rush between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

No matter where your summer travels take you, it's a good reminder that the most familiar roads can sometimes be the most dangerous. With several of New York's deadliest highways running right through the Hudson Valley, slowing down and staying focused behind the wheel could make all the difference.