Watch Out for Roads in Westchester and Rockland Counties

Westchester and Rockland counties have some of the worst – or at least most accident prone – roads in New York State. There are some well-known danger spots: Route 6 on the Yorktown-Cortlandt border, with 67 accidents and 19 injuries within a third of a mile. Most of the vehicle crashes occur during the evening rush hour. Another danger zone is along Route 59 in Ramapo, Spring Valley and Clarkstown along a six mile stretch.

These areas were identified by the Five Percent Survey, which measured New York car accidents in the period November 2007 through December 2009. Evening rush hour was particularly bad, with 11,199 evening rush hour accidents in the lower Hudson Valley during the survey period. A Yorktown councilman, Nick Bianco, observed that the stop and go traffic characteristic of rush hour on the narrow roads of the area makes accidents almost inevitable.

The roads with the highest risk of accidents are those are those that pass by the numerous mini-malls found in the area or include busy intersections without stop lights. Many of these roads are found in northern Westchester and western Rockland counties. Other significant trouble spots can be found at the entrances and exits to the New York State Thruway.

Drivers hoping to avoid accidents on the roads of Westchester and Rockland counties should travel between 3 AM and 4 AM, when crashes are at their lowest levels. 

Source: lohud.com, “State’s most dangerous roads: Many found in region,” Feb. 24, 2012.