A recent car crash near Memorial Park in Port Chester disrupted local traffic systems and caused delays throughout the surrounding area. While authorities reported no serious injuries, the incident serves as a reminder of how quickly accidents can occur on busy Westchester roadways—and how even “minor” crashes can have lasting legal and financial consequences.

Motor vehicle travel already has the highest fatality rate per passenger mile, and alcohol remains a leading factor in holiday crashes. When you combine impaired driving with winter road conditions, the risk of catastrophic injury rises dramatically.

A tragic wrong-way crash on the Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle recently claimed the life of a man during the early morning hours, once again highlighting the serious dangers drivers face on some of Westchester County’s busiest roadways. Incidents like this are not isolated. From the Hutchinson River Parkway to the Taconic State Parkway, Bronx River Parkway, and major arteries connecting Westchester to New York City, wrong-way collisions remain among the most catastrophic types of motor vehicle accidents.

A recent accident on Interstate 287 in Harrison, where a tractor-trailer overturned and injured two people, serves as a serious reminder of the dangers large commercial vehicles pose on Westchester County roadways. I-287 is a critical east-west corridor connecting White Plains, Harrison, Rye, and the Hutchinson River Parkway, and it routinely carries heavy truck traffic moving between Westchester County, Rockland County, and New York City.

Westchester County offers some of the most beautiful stretches of roadway in New York — yet it is also home to some of the state’s most dangerous traffic corridors. As a car accident lawyer with more than 35 years of trial experience, I have represented countless clients injured on these very roads. Understanding why certain roads are more hazardous can help drivers stay alert — and help injured victims understand their legal options when a crash turns their life upside down.

Winter in New York transforms everyday travel into a serious safety challenge. Snowy highways in Westchester County, icy on-ramps along the Bronx River Parkway, slush-covered streets in Manhattan, and reduced visibility on the Whitestone or Tappan Zee Bridge all combine to make winter driving especially dangerous. Each year, winter weather contributes to thousands of crashes, injuries, and preventable tragedies across the NYC metropolitan region.

Holiday travel across Westchester County and New York City brings excitement, family gatherings, and a seasonal surge in traffic. Unfortunately, it also brings a sharp increase in serious car accidents on highways like I-87, the Bronx River Parkway, I-287, the Major Deegan, the Cross Bronx Expressway, and the crowded streets of Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn.

When the clocks “spring forward” each March, New Yorkers look forward to longer days — but that lost hour of sleep can come with serious risks. Studies have shown that daylight saving time (DST) is linked to a sharp increase in car crashes, especially during the first few days after the clock change. A 2020 study in Current Biology found a 6% rise in vehicle collisions nationwide following the switch.

A recent emergency response in Somers, New York—where a driver had to be pulled from a rolled-over vehicle—reminds us how quickly a routine trip on Westchester’s roads can turn life-altering. Rollover crashes are among the most dangerous types of motor-vehicle collisions, often causing serious spinal, head, and orthopedic injuries.

Traffic came to a grinding halt this week on Interstate 287 in Westchester County after a vehicle erupted in flames, leaving the car destroyed and commuters backed up for miles. First responders quickly contained the fire, but the incident underscores a critical reality for New York drivers: high-speed corridors like I-287, the Cross Westchester Expressway, the Hutchinson River Parkway, and the Bronx River Parkway remain some of the region’s most dangerous roadways.