STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Think Staten Island has the worst drivers in New York City?
According to a new study, that assumption is wrong. Manhattan beats the forgotten borough by a mile, reporting 39.6 traffic incidents per 1,000 drivers. But Staten Island is a close second.
According to a report supplied by Lending Tree, which analyzed insurance inquiry data from 2025, Staten Island witnessed 30.5 incidents per every 1,000 drivers while Queens and Brooklyn had 29.1 and 28.8 incidents, respectively. The study notes that the Bronx is the safest borough in which to drive with just 26.8 incidents per 1,000 drivers. Incidents include speeding tickets, at-fault accidents, DUIs and other violations.
The study also analyzes New York’s best and worst drivers by age, determining that older drivers have the lowest, or best, incident rates in the state while Gen Z has the worst drivers by age group with just over 60 incidents per 1,000 drivers, well more than twice the baby boomer rate.
Car make was considered too: With 51.3 incidents per 1,000 drivers, Buick has New York’s worst incident rates. BMW vehicles have the state’s second-worst record, with 47.5 incidents.
The crux of Lending Tree’s report was car insurance costs, which average about $192 a month for full coverage in New York state. According to the study, Progressive and NYCM generally offer the cheapest car insurance in the state.