A report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finds that traffic fatalities in New York have increased 7.7 percent from 2014 to 2015.
According to the report, nearly a third of the fatal crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
AAA spokesman Robert Sinclair says the increase is troubling, and is directly due to alcohol impairment, distracted driving and cellphones.
"This was the largest percentage increase year to year since 1965 to 1966, so we're talking about fifty years of history that we have eclipsed," says Sinclair.
News 12 Long Island's Drew Scott spoke to a man who lost his mother to a drunken driver in 2013. Joe Palma is urging drivers this holiday weekend to drive responsibly and if need be, call a cab.
In the first six months of this year, fatalities are up again - by another 9 percent.