Harding Mazzotti launches free AI tool to map New York's most dangerous intersections

Harding Mazzotti unveiled Hardi, a free AI tool built from 390,334 New York crash reports to identify the state's highest-risk intersections and driving patterns. The firm's analysis found Central Avenue dominates the Capital Region danger list and said New York roads saw a crash every 82 seconds in 2023.

Why it matters: - Harding Mazzotti's analysis turns public crash data into a searchable safety tool aimed at helping drivers, pedestrians and local leaders spot the intersections most likely to produce serious injuries and deaths. - The findings suggest many deadly crashes are tied to preventable behavior and familiar roadway conditions, not just bad weather or bad luck.

What happened: - Harding Mazzotti unveiled Hardi, a free AI tool designed to map New York State's most dangerous intersections. - The firm also released a motor vehicle crash analysis based on 390,334 police-reported crashes filed with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles in 2023. - The analysis found New York roads produced a crash every 82 seconds, with more than 123,000 injuries and over 1,100 deaths in a single year. - In Albany, six of the 15 most dangerous intersections in the Capital Region sit along Central Avenue. - Central Avenue and the Route 5 on-ramp serving I-87 in Colonie ranked at the top of the regional list. - Similar clusters appeared in Buffalo along Humboldt Parkway, in Rochester at Driving Park Avenue and Lake Avenue, and in Syracuse at Carrier Circle.

The details: - Nearly 75% of crashes happened on dry pavement, in clear weather and during daylight. - October and November were the deadliest months for crashes statewide. - Tailgating, failure to yield and driver inattention accounted for nearly 99,000 crashes, or roughly one in four incidents across New York. - Friday was the busiest day for crashes overall. - Saturday and Sunday together accounted for 34% of weekly fatalities, even though the two days produced just 25% of weekly crash volume. - The hours between 6:00 p.m. and midnight produced a disproportionately higher share of fatalities per crash. - The analysis said those patterns point to fatigue, alcohol involvement and reduced visibility as factors that can turn otherwise survivable crashes fatal. - New York City had the 10 most dangerous intersections in the state. - Harding Mazzotti also produced regional studies for Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany/Capital Region, Binghamton, Utica, Elmira, Plattsburgh and Watertown.

Between the lines: - The data challenge a common assumption that winter weather is the main road hazard in New York. - By focusing on locations and behaviors, Harding Mazzotti is positioning Hardi as both a public safety resource and a casework extension of the firm's personal injury practice. - Paul Harding said the firm believes it is the first law firm in the nation to conduct this scale of collision-data capture and build a public AI chat tool from it.

What's next: - Drivers and community leaders can use the regional breakdowns to review local hotspots and identify intersections that need attention. - People injured in crashes at identified intersections are being encouraged to contact Harding Mazzotti about legal options. - Harding Mazzotti said it will continue using the database and Hardi to help the public avoid dangerous intersections and driving conditions.

The bottom line: - New York's crash risk is highly concentrated, and Harding Mazzotti is betting that a free AI tool can make those danger zones easier to see before the next collision happens.