The cities where you're most likely to die in a traffic accident

If you struggle to keep your sanity driving in New York City, you probably shouldn't move to Brazil.

According to the World Resources Institute, traffic fatalities in Fortaleza, a coastal city on the northeastern edge of Brazil, are 8.5 times more common than in New York.

The data come as part of WRI's new report on urban safety, "Cities Safer By Design." In it, the research organization proposes new strategies cities can adopt to reduce rates of traffic fatalities. The results are somewhat counter-intuitive.

While New York City might seem like a swirling vortex of chaos and chance, its iconic grid system works wonders at avoiding accidents.

"In fact, densely populated New York City had the least fatalities, while the most sprawling areas of Atlanta and elsewhere the highest," the researchers wrote.

WRI found that traffic fatalities are lower when cities are compact not sprawling, post lower speed limits, build streets that accommodate bikes and pedestrians, and make public transportation easily accessible.

Unfortunately for some developing cities, not all forms of infrastructure have arrived at once. Here are the most and least dangerous cities, according to WRI: