Car Accidents in Syracuse, NY: Police Reports and Crash Data
Key crash statistics, high-risk roads, and accident report resources in Syracuse, NY.
We pay close attention to the city’s main arteries: Interstate 81 running straight through town, the soon-to-be-replaced downtown viaduct, I-690 stretching east and west, and the Thruway looping just to the north. As Syracuse grows and changes, we watch how these roads affect everything from local commutes to crash trends.
When a crash happens, it’s not always clear who handled the report or how to get a copy. That’s where our team comes in: we’re here to answer your questions, help you figure out the process, and support you every step of the way.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Syracuse, NY, or want to learn more about crash trends and road safety in your neighborhood, you’re in the right place. Read on for a detailed look at Syracuse crash statistics, step-by-step instructions for getting police reports, and resources to help you stay safe in the city.
Getting a Syracuse Police Crash Report Through FOIL
Under the Syracuse Police Department’s traffic crash procedure, officers complete the state MV-104A report when someone is hurt or killed, or property damage tops $1,000. SPD doesn’t take crash reports online; its online reporting page tells anyone involved in a motor vehicle accident to call 911. On the New York State Thruway, crashes go to the State Police, and copies of those reports come from the Thruway Authority on form TA-W4310.
To get a crash report, you’ll need to file a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request with the City of Syracuse. You can submit your request through the city’s online FOIL portal, by email ([email protected]), or by mail to 233 E. Washington St., 300 City Hall, Syracuse, NY 13202. Accident reports are among the records covered by this process.
Be sure to include the report number (if you have it), the names and birth dates of everyone involved, and the date of the crash. Paper copies cost 25 cents per page, and emailed records are free. If you have questions, you can call SPD Records at 315-442-5270.
Any New York police crash report can also be ordered from the DMV, by mail on form MV-198C for $15 plus a $10 search fee, or online through dmv.ny.gov. Drivers have a filing duty of their own: an MV-104 goes to the DMV within 10 days of any crash that causes a death, an injury, or more than $1,000 in damage to one person’s property. There’s more on both forms in our New York crash report guide.
Crashed on I-81 or I-690 and not sure which agency took the report, or just don’t want to fill out a FOIL form? We’ll get a copy of your report for you at no cost.
Syracuse Crash Figures, 2019 to 2024
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
| Police-reported crashes inside city limits | 2,759, including 13 fatal crashes | 2024 | NYS DMV crash data (data.ny.gov) |
| Police-reported crashes inside city limits | 3,071, including 11 fatal crashes | 2023 | NYS DMV crash data (data.ny.gov) |
| People killed and seriously injured on city surface streets | 42 killed, 608 seriously injured | 2019 to 2023 | City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan |
| Fatal and serious injury crashes on the High Injury Network | 50%, on 25 miles (about 6%) of the city’s 425 centerline miles | 2019 to 2023 | City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan |
| Fatal crashes involving people walking or biking | 46% | 2019 to 2023 | City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan |
| Fatal and serious injury crashes between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. | 79% | 2019 to 2023 | City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan |
The first two data rows are from New York State DMV crash records for Syracuse, with 2024 being the most recent year available. These rows only include crashes that have a police report on file.
The other four rows come from the City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan (approved in October 2025), which covers only city surface streets, so its numbers don’t always match the DMV’s. Although pedestrians and cyclists were involved in just 4.3% of all crashes over those five years, they represent a much higher share of fatal crashes. The city notes that average traffic deaths have climbed 34% since 2007, rising faster than in Onondaga County, New York State, or nationwide.
High Injury Intersections Across Syracuse
The Vision Zero plan puts 25 intersections on its High Injury Network, about 1% of the roughly 2,700 in the city. The five below were also hot spots in the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council’s 2021 safety assessment, which counted crashes from 2014 to 2018. Four are on the plan’s intersection list, and the fifth is where two of its high-injury corridors meet.
- James Street at North Salina Street: The council counted 99 crashes at this intersection from 2014 to 2018, including 6 serious injury crashes, the most of any hot spot in their study. Both James Street and Salina Street are considered High Injury Network corridors.
- Butternut Street, Lodi Street, and Catherine Street: This complicated junction is listed among the city’s high-injury intersections, with Butternut and Lodi also considered high-injury corridors. The council recorded 80 crashes here from 2014 to 2018, including 3 serious injury crashes and 14 pedestrian crashes, the highest number of pedestrian crashes at any intersection in the study.
- West Genesee Street at North Geddes Street: Another intersection on the high-injury list, with both streets also considered high-injury corridors. The council found 99 crashes at this spot from 2014 to 2018, along with 3 serious injury crashes.
- Teall Avenue at Grant Boulevard: This intersection is also on the high-injury list, with both streets considered high-injury corridors. From 2014 to 2018, there were 75 crashes here, including 2 serious injury crashes and 3 pedestrian crashes.
- West Hiawatha Boulevard at Solar Street: Listed among the high-injury intersections, with 71 crashes reported between 2014 and 2018. This spot saw 4 serious injury crashes and 1 fatal crash, the only fatal crash at any of the intersection hot spots in the study.
Trauma Care for Syracuse Crash Injuries
Upstate Medical University, at 750 E. Adams St., is the only trauma center the New York State Department of Health lists in Onondaga County, and the state designates it Level I for both adults and children. Pediatric trauma care is at Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Upstate calls itself the only certified Level I trauma center in the region, serving about 1.8 million people and 27 referral hospitals.
Once the emergency is behind you, we can connect you with local help, from doctors and body shops to injury attorneys. Get in touch with our team.
Syracuse Crash Questions, Answered
How many people die in Syracuse traffic crashes?
The City of Syracuse Vision Zero Action Plan counted 42 people killed and 608 seriously injured on Syracuse surface streets from 2019 through 2023. New York State DMV data, which counts crashes, shows 13 fatal crashes inside city limits in 2024, the latest year in the state’s crash file.
Which Syracuse intersections have the worst crash records?
In the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council’s 2021 study of 2014 to 2018 crashes, James Street at North Salina Street had the most serious injury crashes among its intersection hot spots, 6 of 99. Butternut, Lodi, and Catherine Streets had the most pedestrian crashes, 14, and West Hiawatha Boulevard at Solar Street had the only fatal one among those intersections.
How do I get a Syracuse police accident report?
Syracuse police crash reports are released through a City of Syracuse Freedom of Information Law request, filed on the city’s FOIL portal, by email to [email protected], or by mail to 300 City Hall, 233 E. Washington St. Give the report number, names, birth dates, and crash date. Copies cost 25 cents a page, or nothing by email.
Where are badly injured crash victims taken in Syracuse?
Upstate Medical University on East Adams Street is the only trauma center the state health department lists in Onondaga County. It holds Level I designation for adults, and for children through Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital. Its trauma program covers a region of about 1.8 million people and 27 referral hospitals.
Onondaga County Accident Reports on Local Accident Reports
Two-Vehicle Crash With Injuries on Downer St in Baldwinsville, NY
Two-Vehicle Rollover Crash on West Genesee St in Camillus, NY Injures Two
Car Accident
2 First Responders Injured in Onondaga Ambulance Crash, NY
Fatal Accident
Two Killed After Car Hits Tree on Franklin Park Dr in DeWitt, NY
Multi-Vehicle Accident
2 Police Officers Hurt in Wreck on N Townsend St, Syracuse, NY
Our team at Local Accident Reports is committed to keeping Syracuse and Onondaga County informed about crashes, not just here at home, but across all fifty states. We know how important it is to have the latest, most relevant information for your neighborhood, which is why we go beyond state-level data to bring you county-by-county updates that matter.
Here, you’ll find the most recent crash reports for Onondaga County, including Syracuse, Baldwinsville, Camillus, DeWitt, Manlius, Clay, Cicero, and Salina. According to DMV data, Syracuse saw the most police-reported crashes in the county in 2024, with DeWitt, Clay, Cicero, and Salina next in line. For a deeper look at past incidents, you can explore our full Onondaga County accident news archive.
Crash-prone roads aren’t a Syracuse problem alone. We also track dangerous roads and intersections across New York, and our recent accident alerts are updated daily as new crashes come in.
Local Accident Reports compiles this information from public agency sources and published reports for general reference. It is not legal advice and is not an official police record. Fees, forms and deadlines change, so confirm with the agency before you send a request. Last updated October 2026.