The deadliest drivers in the Big Apple are allegedly men who fail to turn right.

A new survey conducted in New York has determined that in the winter months, the biggest threat to pedestrians between 03:00 and 06:00 is male drivers turning left. Women and taxi drivers, contrary to common misconceptions, posed far less of a threat to walkers.

Pedestrians faced their biggest danger in the hours between 15:00 and 09:00, as dusk settles and the end of the work day shortens patience and safety considerations. While the usual after-dark trends that make any city more dangerous at night were in place, it was the early hours of the morning that were found to be most challenging.

When the driver makes a right-hand turn in NYC, pedestrians are three times safer than if a left-hand turn is auctioned. The physical difference to the driver is minimal, though the vehicle itself is actually closer to the public given that Americans drive on the left side of the road in usually a left-hand drive car.

Crossing the street at the ‘Walk’ signs actually increases the chances of a pedestrian being in an accident, though fortunately the law-abiding walkers were less likely to result in fatalities. Countdown clocks are now widespread to help pedestrians know exactly when to step off the curb.

The study, which looked at data from 2002 to 2006, found that men caused 80 per cent of incidents which resulted in injury to pedestrians, with November and December showing an increased hit rate of 20 per cent against the rest of the year.