  COVID-19 is affecting every social sector significantly, including human
mobility and subsequently road traffic safety. In this study, we analyze the
impact of the pandemic on traffic accidents using two cities, namely Los
Angeles and New York City in the U.S., as examples. Specifically, we have
analyzed traffic accidents associated with various demographic groups, how
traffic accidents are distributed in time and space, and the severity level of
traffic accidents that both involve and do not involve other transportation
modes (e.g., pedestrians and motorists). We have made the following
observations: 1) the pandemic has disproportionately affected certain age
groups, races, and genders; 2) the "hotspots" of traffic accidents have been
shifted in both time and space compared to time periods that are prior to the
pandemic, demonstrating irregularity; and 3) the number of non-fatal accident
cases has decreased but the number of severe and fatal cases of traffic
accidents remains the same under the pandemic.
