NYPD's chief of transportation discusses record-low traffic deaths
The NYPD attributed increased enforcement and targeted safety initiatives as factors that helped curb deadly crashes across the five boroughs.
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Traffic fatalities in New York City dropped to a historic low in 2025.
The NYPD attributed increased enforcement and targeted safety initiatives as factors that helped curb deadly crashes across the five boroughs.
Citywide, 205 people were killed in traffic-related incidents last year, a 19% decrease from 2024 and the lowest number recorded.
The Bronx saw the largest decline among the boroughs, with traffic deaths falling 39% - from 54 in 2024 to 33 in 2025. Brooklyn recorded a 9% decrease - dropping from 69 deaths to 63, the second-smallest decline citywide.
NYPD Chief of Transportation Olufunmilo “Lola” Obe, who oversees safety on more than 6,300 miles of city roadways, said the reduction reflects a combination of enforcement, education and engineering efforts.
“It takes a lot to keep people safe,” Obe said during an interview at the department’s Joint Operations Center in Manhattan, which she described as “the nerve center for the NYPD.”
Despite the progress, Obe said there is still significant work to be done.
Three of Brooklyn’s 2025 traffic deaths occurred on Ocean Parkway, where a mother and her two children were struck and killed by a reckless driver while crossing the street.
“That was an eye opener for me,” Obe said, noting the crash happened during her first week as chief of transportation. “It brought it so close to home. Families destroyed, whole communities destroyed, and it laid it bare to me that we have a lot of work to do.”
Ocean Parkway is now one of 15 high-visibility corridors where the NYPD is focusing its resources to deter reckless driving. Obe said the department is increasing patrols and enforcement in those areas.
“One death is one too many,” she said.
The Transportation Bureau has also intensified its crackdown on so-called “ghost cars,” vehicles with fake or altered temporary license plates that make them difficult to identify.
In 2025, the NYPD conducted 53 enforcement operations targeting those vehicles, resulting in 809 arrests and more than 34,000 summonses.
The department also collected approximately $15 million in fines and fees.
“It’s something we take very seriously and something we will continue in 2026,” Obe said.
Looking ahead, Obe said the department’s strategy centers on enforcing traffic laws, educating both drivers and pedestrians, and working with city leaders to redesign streets to improve safety.
