Autonomous vehicles are measurably safer and will connect millions to public transit

There were roughly 300,000 crashes in New York State last year, resulting in at least 681 fatalities. Of those, roughly 3 in 10 involved a drunk driver. Another quarter involved distracted driving. Pedestrians pay a steep price for this preventable human error. They account for almost half of traffic deaths in the state. Many personal injury lawyers are opposed to AVs for this very reason: more AVs means fewer traffic-related injuries.

Data from AV companies providing analysis on rides show they’re involved in 94% fewer crashes, of all kinds: rear-end collisions, single-vehicle crashes, and multi-vehicle crashes. Independent studies and industry reports have repeatedly shown that AVs are measurably safer than human-driven cars. Having them on our roads will reduce preventable injuries and deaths.

The story of autonomous driving goes back decades, to early advanced driver assistance (ADAS) technologies developed in the 70s. Since then, the technology and automotive industries have developed innovative new ways to help cars operate more safely and efficiently. Modern self-driving dates back to the 1990s, and has been three decades in the making. Autonomous technology has been safely and reliably transporting passengers for over half a decade.

We are a statewide coalition of New Yorkers working to make our streets safer and our neighborhoods more connected.