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'This is going to be a dangerous storm.' Travel bans issued ahead of winter storm

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Due to the weekend storm, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued a full travel ban across Erie County beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday.

In addition, all commercial traffic will be banned on the New York State Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line.

Bot travel bans will be in effect until further notice.

"This is going to be a dangerous storm," Hochul said at a noon press conference on Saturday.

⚠️ #WNY - TRAVEL ALERT: Beginning at 9 p.m. TONIGHT, all commercial traffic WILL BE BANNED on all State, County and local roads in Erie County and on the Thruway between exit 46 (Henrietta) and the Pennsylvania State Line. This ban will remain in effect indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/vUBjKQrUQN — New York State Thruway Authority (@NYSThruway) January 13, 2024

Winter storm warning issued for western New York

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties, from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning.

Heavy lake effect snow, reaching 1 to 3 feet in some areas, along with strong winds up to 65 mph, is expected.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo warns of significant blowing and drifting snow, leading to difficult to impossible travel conditions over the weekend.

A high wind warning is also in effect for Rochester and parts of western and central New York, with gusts up to 50-65 mph expected through Saturday night.

Buffalo Bills vs. Pittsburgh Steelers playoff game postponed

The NFL, Buffalo Bills, New York State, and Erie County officials on Saturday postponed the AFC wild-card game between the Buffalo Bills and the Pittsburgh Steelers to Monday at 4:30 p.m. due to the forecasted dangerous weather in Buffalo. The was scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.

C ontact Robert Bell at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram:  @ byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester NY Weather: Travel bans issued on NY Thruway, Erie County

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Hochul declares state of emergency, partial WNY travel ban ahead of blizzard-like conditions along Lake Erie & Lake Ontario

Travel ban for empty and tandem trucks/trailers to begin Saturday morning on thruway and other state roads in Western New York

√ Governor deploys 100 members of New York National Guard to WNY to support emergency response operations

√ People ‘Encouraged to enjoy Buffalo Bills’ game from home’; those planning to attend should pay close attention to weather and travel updates

√ New Yorkers can subscribe for emergency alerts here

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday declared a state of emergency ahead of potentially dangerous and life-threatening blizzard-like conditions forecasted to impact communities along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Areas adjacent to both lakes are forecast to be impacted by strong winds with gusts up to 70 mph that will likely cause power outages, freezing cold wind chills, and lake-effect snow with a foot or more possible in some areas. Blizzard-like, whiteout conditions are possible, especially Saturday night and much of Sunday, and wind chills are forecast to dip into the single digits on Saturday night and remain there through mid-week.

Lake-effect snow is expected for both lakes Erie and Ontario starting Saturday afternoon and continuing through Monday morning, with areas in Western New York and the Watertown area receiving up to a foot of snow. Travel in these areas will be difficult to impossible at times, and New Yorkers are urged to pay close attention to the weather and make plans accordingly to stay safe, especially those planning to attend Sunday’s Buffalo Bills’ game.

New Yorkers are being encouraged to enjoy the game from home; however, if they are planning to attend the game, they should travel with extreme caution and pay very close attention to weather and travel updates throughout the weekend.

“In anticipation of the upcoming storm, I have declared a state of emergency for Western New York, and my administration and I are monitoring the forecast, as well, to see whether that will be necessary for the North Country,” Hochul said. “During this time, it is important to check in on vulnerable friends and family, and do whatever you can to stay safe and warm.”

The state of emergency applies to the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego and Wyoming.

Travel Ban for Empty Trucks/Trailers and All Tandem Trucks

Beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, the New York State Department of Transportation and New York State Thruway Authority will be issuing a ban on empty trucks/trailers and all tandem trucks on the following routes:

• I-90 Exit 46 – PA line
• I-190 (south of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Buffalo Skyway (NY 5)
• I-190 (north of the North Grand Island Bridge)
• Kensington Expressway (NY 33)
• I-86 in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus County

Precipitation is expected to begin late this afternoon with areas in New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson seeing rain, while areas to the north and west should see a period of wet snow or snow/sleet mix. Western New York and valley areas in the Finger Lakes, Southern Tier and Capital regions should see snow accumulations before turning to rain. Elevations above 1,500 feet are forecast to receive heavy, wet snow tonight with snowfall rates up to 1 inch per hour at times and wind gusts up to 50 mph, which could lead to downed trees and branches and result in power outages.

In addition, damaging winds with gusts up to 65 mph are expected across Western New York into the Tug Hill, as well as parts of the Mid-Hudson, tonight into Saturday. Winds will be strong across the state with gusts reaching up to 55 mph in places, which will likely result in downed tree and branches – especially where trees are weakened from recent storms.

Western New York will be windy through the day Saturday into Saturday night with gusts up to 70 mph in Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee and Monroe counties, which will likely result in more widespread power outages.

A winter storm watch for heavy lake-effect snow has been issued by NWS Buffalo from Saturday afternoon through Monday morning for areas east of Lakes Erie and Ontario, including parts of Western New York and the North Country. A foot or more of snow possible in the most persistent lake effect bands, and blowing and drifting of snow is likely due to winds gusts up to 70 mph on Saturday afternoon and evening.

In addition, for New York City, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson regions, multiple flood and coastal flood alerts have already been issued for several locations through Saturday. The ground is saturated from recent storms and any additional rainfall may lead to renewed river flooding throughout the day today.

The National Weather Service has issued several additional watches, warnings and advisories for this storm. For a complete listing of weather alerts and forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website at  https://alerts.weather.gov.  New Yorkers are also encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by subscribing to NY Alert at  https://alert.ny.gov,  a free service providing critical emergency information to your cell phone or computer.

See also >> State agencies prepare as strong winds & lake-effect snow may cause blizzard-like conditions this weekend

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Travel ban lifted in Erie County as road conditions improve, warmer weather settles in

A travel ban has been lifted in New York’s Erie County, days after it was put into place as a deadly blizzard swept across the region, at times reducing visibility to zero.

The ban, which was implemented Friday, expired at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, officials said.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown told reporters Wednesday night that the roads were in good enough condition to lift the ban.

“It has been 6 days,” Brown said. “Some people have not been able to restock groceries, to restock medications, to get to medical appointments, and being able to lift the travel ban safely now will allow people to do those important things.”

Most streets in the city are passable, Brown said, and he expected crews to have made a pass down the center of every residential street by the end of the night.

Though the ban has been lifted, a travel advisory was in place for Erie County as cleanup continues and a county-wide state of emergency remained. Brown asked people to be cautious and avoid driving unless necessary.

More than 450 pieces of equipment were on Buffalo streets plowing and hauling snow, and many traffic signals were still not working, he said.

The storm dumped upwards of 20 inches of snow in parts of New York — including nearly 52 inches at Buffalo Niagara International Airport, according to the National Weather Service.

The powerful storm plunged much of the United States into a deep freeze, creating life-threatening conditions as more than 1 million homes and businesses were left in the dark, and wreaking havoc on flight schedules during the busy holiday travel week.

At least 76 people died in the storm, according to an NBC News tally. Erie County accounted for 37 of the deaths, 29 of which were in Buffalo.

Weather-related deaths were also reported in Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Illinois and Vermont.

In Buffalo, officials said it was possible the number could rise.

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said Wednesday night that police have cleared the backlog of calls relating to welfare checks, stranded motorists and reports of bodies.

Search and rescue teams were returning Thursday to check locations where bodies had been reported but could not be confirmed — either because of the amount of snow or the vagueness of location, Gramaglia said.

"We believe there were some credible 911 calls that contained more information ... low single digit numbers, that's again why we're going to concentrate our efforts on hitting those areas," he told reporters.

In Erie County, 17 of the people who died in the blizzard were found outside and four were in a vehicle , according to County Executive Mark Poloncarz.

Several people died because of a delay receiving emergency services or from cardiac events related to shoveling or blowing snow. Of the deaths, nine were people who died because they had no heat in their homes, he said.

Poloncarz said in a tweet Wednesday night that 500 National Guard members have conducted nearly 850 welfare checks on residents who had longterm power outages.

Power was being restored to New York, and by early Thursday, about 400 customers in the state were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us .

In Buffalo, where more than 20,000 customers were without power at one point during the storm, only three had no electricity Wednesday night, according to Brown, the mayor.

On Wednesday, city offices, facilities and roadways opened, as temperatures rose into the 40s across parts of New York.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport, which has been closed since Friday , reopened Wednesday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday night that all major state highways in western New York, including the Erie County portion of Interstate 190 and several state routes, would reopen at midnight.

“I am extremely grateful to all the highway maintenance workers, first responders and emergency service staff who continue to work tirelessly to help their fellow New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement .   

The temperature is expected to continue climbing to the low-50s in the Buffalo region by Friday, and will help melt the accumulated snow, according to the National Weather Service .

Claire Cardona is a breaking news editor for NBC News Digital.

UPDATE: All travel bans lifted across Erie County

Cheektowaga, N.Y. (WBEN) - The last remaining travel ban in Erie Couny was lifted when the City of Lackawanna reopened to traffic in full at 1 p.m. following a nightmarish weekend of lake effect snow and blizzad-lie conditions.

Additionally, all major roadways that were closed due to the weather conditions have been reopened, including the NYS Thruway, Route 400, Route 219 and the Skyway/Lakeshore complex

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Welcome to Erie County, NY

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz » ERIE COUNTY, CITY OF BUFFALO UPDATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS OF SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

ERIE COUNTY, CITY OF BUFFALO UPDATE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS AS OF SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19

Modified: November 19, 2022 10:50am

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For press releases from other years, please click on one of the following links:

• 2011 Transition

ERIE COUNTY, NY—Effective immediately (Saturday, November 19 at 6:30 a.m.), the city of Buffalo and Erie County are implementing a Travel Ban for the entire city of Buffalo based on current and expected weather and road conditions.

This updated map shows the current travel restrictions for Erie County, with red-shaded areas having a Travel Ban and yellow-shaded areas having a Travel Advisory.

County and city officials are urging residents to follow these travel restrictions to prevent additional blocked roads from vehicle accidents or stranded vehicles, and to allow snow removal crews, tow trucks and first responders to do their work.

Link to updated map .

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Last Erie County travel ban to be lifted Monday afternoon

UPDATE: The final travel ban in Erie County - for the city of Lackawanna - will be lifted at 1 p.m. this afternoon.

MORE: Final travel ban in Erie County to be lifted this afternoon

A travel ban remains in effect for most of Erie County on Sunday as a wicked lake effect snow storm continues to slam parts of the region with high winds and heavy snow.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz has lifted the travel ban for the towns of Tonawanda, Amherst, Grand Island, Clarence, Newstead, Holland, Colden, Sardinia, Concord, North Collins, and Collins. The gate will remain closed on the 219.

The travel ban will stay in effect for the rest of the county until further notice.

In consultation with NYS, Erie County is lifting the travel ban for the towns of Amherst, Clarence, Grand Island, Newstead and Towawanda as of 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. The travel ban for the towns of Colden, Collins, Concord, Holland, North Collins and Sardinia ended at 8 am. pic.twitter.com/jhSaifKMi1 — Mark Poloncarz (@markpoloncarz) January 14, 2024

The storm has already dropped a foot of snow in Orchard Park as of 11 a.m. Sunday, with another six to 12 inches expected to fall. The NFL postponed today's Bills-Steelers Wild Card game at Highmark Stadium until 4:30 p.m. Monday. Whiteout conditions have made traveling in the area around the stadium treacherous.

Current conditions on Abbott Road in front of Highmark Stadium. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/TYhpNtKeuY — Sean Mickey WKBW (@SeanMickey7) January 14, 2024

This is why the Bills game was postponed. pic.twitter.com/iNkG8uF4al — Michael Schwartz (@MSchwartzTV) January 14, 2024

This is a half-hour later. You cannot see the stadium and these videos aren’t doing it justice. Right now, I cannot even see the fence to the construction site with my own eyes. Stay safe everyone. @WKBW pic.twitter.com/ETw769Km4b — Adam Campos (@arcampostv) January 14, 2024

The Buffalo Bills are asking snow shovelers to abide by the travel ban and not to report to the stadium until the ban is lifted and conditions improve. The team says there will be multiple shifts of shovelers to get the stadium ready for game time.

The 7 Weather team says more than two feet of snow will fall in the most persistent snow bands.

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The April total solar eclipse could snarl traffic for hours across thousands of miles

Millions of Americans will be looking to the sky during a rare total solar eclipse on April 8, and experts warn the excitement could create dangerous and busy traffic conditions as people pack into the narrow band of the country with the best view.

"Pack your patience, whether traveling a great distance or locally, people will be out and about to catch a glimpse of the eclipse," said Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for the American Automobile Association.

Roads could be especially packed at the center of the eclipse's path as Americans who want the best view crowd into cities, towns and remote areas, many without the infrastructure to handle big crowds.

A similar scenario played out in 2017 during the nation's last total solar eclipse , where congestion in some areas lasted for up to 13 hours after the totality of the eclipse, according to Transportation Research News , a National Research Council publication. An analysis of traffic patterns from that year suggests that the worst of the traffic — both on big interstates and rural backroads — will kick off after the eclipse ends and everyone tries to exit all at once.

This year, in Ohio's Lorain County, county officials are warning residents to be aware about the increase in visitors, traffic and jammed roads — and possible cell phone signal drops.

“What we could have is crowds here that we’re not used to,” wrote Dave Freeman, the director of Lorain County Emergency Management. “We’re not set up infrastructure-wise for that, we don’t have the roads.”

Where will traffic be the worst during 2024 total solar eclipse?

Roads in states where sky gazers will travel to see the centerline of totality will be most prone to traffic jams.

Even though Oklahoma only has a small corner of the state in the path of totality, the state "is expected to receive an influx of anywhere from 17,000 to 66,000 visitors to watch the solar eclipse," reads an announcement from Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Officials there are warning residents "the large influx of visitors to southeastern Oklahoma could overwhelm and backup the area's road systems," including two-lane highways passing through small towns.

They advise residents to expect hotels and visiting areas at maximum capacity, increased traffic and delays in deliveries.

A coast-to-coast traffic nightmare What will the solar eclipse mean for drivers?

The last total solar eclipse snarled US traffic

Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesman Doug McGee said more than 536,000 cars filled the state's streets after the eclipse in 2017 and the state highway system "was taxed like it’s never been before," The Denver Post reported.

And "travel from Casper, Wyoming, to Denver, Colorado—normally a 4-hour trip—took 10 hours or more," according to an analysis of traffic from Transportation Research News.

The analysis's author Jonathan Upchurch said most sky gazers traveled to the paths of totality by car, "roadways experienced very little traffic congestion on the days leading up to totality" and "almost every Interstate route passing through the path of totality showed red on Google Traffic maps" after the eclipse reached totality.

The 2017 traffic woes followed warnings from officials .

Be careful if you're driving during the eclipse

Texas state officials are also warning drivers to "be on alert for distracted pedestrians looking to the sky." They also say drivers should not wear eclipse glasses, which block out most light, while driving.

What time is the solar eclipse? Search your ZIP code for a viewing guide

Officials there and elsewhere along the solar eclipse's line of totality are recommending drivers keep their headlights on, be mindful of pedestrians on the road and even stock up on essentials like fuel and food ahead of the eclipse.

AAA, which insures drivers across the country, is also warning people that sky gazers looking for a good view of the eclipse will be on the roads. They recommend drivers put their sun visors in their cars down to block their view of the sun and watch closely for pedestrian traffic.

How should Americans prepare for traffic jams?

AAA and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol suggest several ways Americans can prepare for traffic jams related to the solar eclipse:

• Plan ahead so you don't have to travel to errands or appointments around when the eclipse is happening.
• Don't pull over on the side of a road or highway to view the eclipse — Find a parking area instead.
• Fuel up before the eclipse and have some essentials on hand while traveling

When and where can you view the 2024 total solar eclipse?

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the sun's light , leading to a period of partial or full darkness on Earth.

The path of totality, where the sun is fully blocked, in the U.S. begins in Texas and the eclipse starts around 1:27 p.m. local time.

Cities on the centerline of the April 8 eclipse include Dallas, Texas , Cleveland, Ohio and Buffalo, New York, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Contributing: Ashley May, Janet Loehrke, Ramon Padilla and Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY

Contact Kayla Jimenez at [email protected] .  Follow her on X at @kaylajjimenez.

Read our research on: Abortion | Podcasts | Election 2024

Regions & Countries

What the data says about abortion in the u.s..

Pew Research Center has conducted many surveys about abortion over the years, providing a lens into Americans’ views on whether the procedure should be legal, among a host of other questions.

In a  Center survey  conducted nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s June 2022 decision that  ended the constitutional right to abortion , 62% of U.S. adults said the practice should be legal in all or most cases, while 36% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. Another survey conducted a few months before the decision showed that relatively few Americans take an absolutist view on the issue .

Find answers to common questions about abortion in America, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, which have tracked these patterns for several decades:

How many abortions are there in the U.S. each year?

How has the number of abortions in the u.s. changed over time, what is the abortion rate among women in the u.s. how has it changed over time, what are the most common types of abortion, how many abortion providers are there in the u.s., and how has that number changed, what percentage of abortions are for women who live in a different state from the abortion provider, what are the demographics of women who have had abortions, when during pregnancy do most abortions occur, how often are there medical complications from abortion.

This compilation of data on abortion in the United States draws mainly from two sources: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Guttmacher Institute, both of which have regularly compiled national abortion data for approximately half a century, and which collect their data in different ways.

The CDC data that is highlighted in this post comes from the agency’s “abortion surveillance” reports, which have been published annually since 1974 (and which have included data from 1969). Its figures from 1973 through 1996 include data from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and New York City – 52 “reporting areas” in all. Since 1997, the CDC’s totals have lacked data from some states (most notably California) for the years that those states did not report data to the agency. The four reporting areas that did not submit data to the CDC in 2021 – California, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey – accounted for approximately 25% of all legal induced abortions in the U.S. in 2020, according to Guttmacher’s data. Most states, though,  do  have data in the reports, and the figures for the vast majority of them came from each state’s central health agency, while for some states, the figures came from hospitals and other medical facilities.

Discussion of CDC abortion data involving women’s state of residence, marital status, race, ethnicity, age, abortion history and the number of previous live births excludes the low share of abortions where that information was not supplied. Read the methodology for the CDC’s latest abortion surveillance report , which includes data from 2021, for more details. Previous reports can be found at  stacks.cdc.gov  by entering “abortion surveillance” into the search box.

For the numbers of deaths caused by induced abortions in 1963 and 1965, this analysis looks at reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. In computing those figures, we excluded abortions listed in the report under the categories “spontaneous or unspecified” or as “other.” (“Spontaneous abortion” is another way of referring to miscarriages.)

Guttmacher data in this post comes from national surveys of abortion providers that Guttmacher has conducted 19 times since 1973. Guttmacher compiles its figures after contacting every known provider of abortions – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, and it provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond to its inquiries. (In 2020, the last year for which it has released data on the number of abortions in the U.S., it used estimates for 12% of abortions.) For most of the 2000s, Guttmacher has conducted these national surveys every three years, each time getting abortion data for the prior two years. For each interim year, Guttmacher has calculated estimates based on trends from its own figures and from other data.

The latest full summary of Guttmacher data came in the institute’s report titled “Abortion Incidence and Service Availability in the United States, 2020.” It includes figures for 2020 and 2019 and estimates for 2018. The report includes a methods section.

In addition, this post uses data from StatPearls, an online health care resource, on complications from abortion.

An exact answer is hard to come by. The CDC and the Guttmacher Institute have each tried to measure this for around half a century, but they use different methods and publish different figures.

The last year for which the CDC reported a yearly national total for abortions is 2021. It found there were 625,978 abortions in the District of Columbia and the 46 states with available data that year, up from 597,355 in those states and D.C. in 2020. The corresponding figure for 2019 was 607,720.

The last year for which Guttmacher reported a yearly national total was 2020. It said there were 930,160 abortions that year in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, compared with 916,460 in 2019.

• How the CDC gets its data: It compiles figures that are voluntarily reported by states’ central health agencies, including separate figures for New York City and the District of Columbia. Its latest totals do not include figures from California, Maryland, New Hampshire or New Jersey, which did not report data to the CDC. ( Read the methodology from the latest CDC report .)
• How Guttmacher gets its data: It compiles its figures after contacting every known abortion provider – clinics, hospitals and physicians’ offices – in the country. It uses questionnaires and health department data, then provides estimates for abortion providers that don’t respond. Guttmacher’s figures are higher than the CDC’s in part because they include data (and in some instances, estimates) from all 50 states. ( Read the institute’s latest full report and methodology .)

While the Guttmacher Institute supports abortion rights, its empirical data on abortions in the U.S. has been widely cited by  groups  and  publications  across the political spectrum, including by a  number of those  that  disagree with its positions .

These estimates from Guttmacher and the CDC are results of multiyear efforts to collect data on abortion across the U.S. Last year, Guttmacher also began publishing less precise estimates every few months , based on a much smaller sample of providers.

The figures reported by these organizations include only legal induced abortions conducted by clinics, hospitals or physicians’ offices, or those that make use of abortion pills dispensed from certified facilities such as clinics or physicians’ offices. They do not account for the use of abortion pills that were obtained  outside of clinical settings .

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The annual number of U.S. abortions rose for years after Roe v. Wade legalized the procedure in 1973, reaching its highest levels around the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. Since then, abortions have generally decreased at what a CDC analysis called  “a slow yet steady pace.”

Guttmacher says the number of abortions occurring in the U.S. in 2020 was 40% lower than it was in 1991. According to the CDC, the number was 36% lower in 2021 than in 1991, looking just at the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported both of those years.

(The corresponding line graph shows the long-term trend in the number of legal abortions reported by both organizations. To allow for consistent comparisons over time, the CDC figures in the chart have been adjusted to ensure that the same states are counted from one year to the next. Using that approach, the CDC figure for 2021 is 622,108 legal abortions.)

There have been occasional breaks in this long-term pattern of decline – during the middle of the first decade of the 2000s, and then again in the late 2010s. The CDC reported modest 1% and 2% increases in abortions in 2018 and 2019, and then, after a 2% decrease in 2020, a 5% increase in 2021. Guttmacher reported an 8% increase over the three-year period from 2017 to 2020.

As noted above, these figures do not include abortions that use pills obtained outside of clinical settings.

Guttmacher says that in 2020 there were 14.4 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. Its data shows that the rate of abortions among women has generally been declining in the U.S. since 1981, when it reported there were 29.3 abortions per 1,000 women in that age range.

The CDC says that in 2021, there were 11.6 abortions in the U.S. per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44. (That figure excludes data from California, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.) Like Guttmacher’s data, the CDC’s figures also suggest a general decline in the abortion rate over time. In 1980, when the CDC reported on all 50 states and D.C., it said there were 25 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44.

That said, both Guttmacher and the CDC say there were slight increases in the rate of abortions during the late 2010s and early 2020s. Guttmacher says the abortion rate per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 rose from 13.5 in 2017 to 14.4 in 2020. The CDC says it rose from 11.2 per 1,000 in 2017 to 11.4 in 2019, before falling back to 11.1 in 2020 and then rising again to 11.6 in 2021. (The CDC’s figures for those years exclude data from California, D.C., Maryland, New Hampshire and New Jersey.)

The CDC broadly divides abortions into two categories: surgical abortions and medication abortions, which involve pills. Since the Food and Drug Administration first approved abortion pills in 2000, their use has increased over time as a share of abortions nationally, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher.

The majority of abortions in the U.S. now involve pills, according to both the CDC and Guttmacher. The CDC says 56% of U.S. abortions in 2021 involved pills, up from 53% in 2020 and 44% in 2019. Its figures for 2021 include the District of Columbia and 44 states that provided this data; its figures for 2020 include D.C. and 44 states (though not all of the same states as in 2021), and its figures for 2019 include D.C. and 45 states.

Guttmacher, which measures this every three years, says 53% of U.S. abortions involved pills in 2020, up from 39% in 2017.

Two pills commonly used together for medication abortions are mifepristone, which, taken first, blocks hormones that support a pregnancy, and misoprostol, which then causes the uterus to empty. According to the FDA, medication abortions are safe  until 10 weeks into pregnancy.

Surgical abortions conducted  during the first trimester  of pregnancy typically use a suction process, while the relatively few surgical abortions that occur  during the second trimester  of a pregnancy typically use a process called dilation and evacuation, according to the UCLA School of Medicine.

In 2020, there were 1,603 facilities in the U.S. that provided abortions,  according to Guttmacher . This included 807 clinics, 530 hospitals and 266 physicians’ offices.

While clinics make up half of the facilities that provide abortions, they are the sites where the vast majority (96%) of abortions are administered, either through procedures or the distribution of pills, according to Guttmacher’s 2020 data. (This includes 54% of abortions that are administered at specialized abortion clinics and 43% at nonspecialized clinics.) Hospitals made up 33% of the facilities that provided abortions in 2020 but accounted for only 3% of abortions that year, while just 1% of abortions were conducted by physicians’ offices.

Looking just at clinics – that is, the total number of specialized abortion clinics and nonspecialized clinics in the U.S. – Guttmacher found the total virtually unchanged between 2017 (808 clinics) and 2020 (807 clinics). However, there were regional differences. In the Midwest, the number of clinics that provide abortions increased by 11% during those years, and in the West by 6%. The number of clinics  decreased  during those years by 9% in the Northeast and 3% in the South.

The total number of abortion providers has declined dramatically since the 1980s. In 1982, according to Guttmacher, there were 2,908 facilities providing abortions in the U.S., including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals and 714 physicians’ offices.

The CDC does not track the number of abortion providers.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that provided abortion and residency information to the CDC in 2021, 10.9% of all abortions were performed on women known to live outside the state where the abortion occurred – slightly higher than the percentage in 2020 (9.7%). That year, D.C. and 46 states (though not the same ones as in 2021) reported abortion and residency data. (The total number of abortions used in these calculations included figures for women with both known and unknown residential status.)

The share of reported abortions performed on women outside their state of residence was much higher before the 1973 Roe decision that stopped states from banning abortion. In 1972, 41% of all abortions in D.C. and the 20 states that provided this information to the CDC that year were performed on women outside their state of residence. In 1973, the corresponding figure was 21% in the District of Columbia and the 41 states that provided this information, and in 1974 it was 11% in D.C. and the 43 states that provided data.

In the District of Columbia and the 46 states that reported age data to  the CDC in 2021, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women ages 40 to 44 accounted for about 4%.

The vast majority of women who had abortions in 2021 were unmarried (87%), while married women accounted for 13%, according to  the CDC , which had data on this from 37 states.

In the District of Columbia, New York City (but not the rest of New York) and the 31 states that reported racial and ethnic data on abortion to  the CDC , 42% of all women who had abortions in 2021 were non-Hispanic Black, while 30% were non-Hispanic White, 22% were Hispanic and 6% were of other races.

Looking at abortion rates among those ages 15 to 44, there were 28.6 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic Black women in 2021; 12.3 abortions per 1,000 Hispanic women; 6.4 abortions per 1,000 non-Hispanic White women; and 9.2 abortions per 1,000 women of other races, the  CDC reported  from those same 31 states, D.C. and New York City.

For 57% of U.S. women who had induced abortions in 2021, it was the first time they had ever had one,  according to the CDC.  For nearly a quarter (24%), it was their second abortion. For 11% of women who had an abortion that year, it was their third, and for 8% it was their fourth or more. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

Nearly four-in-ten women who had abortions in 2021 (39%) had no previous live births at the time they had an abortion,  according to the CDC . Almost a quarter (24%) of women who had abortions in 2021 had one previous live birth, 20% had two previous live births, 10% had three, and 7% had four or more previous live births. These CDC figures include data from 41 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester of a pregnancy. In 2021, 93% of abortions occurred during the first trimester – that is, at or before 13 weeks of gestation,  according to the CDC . An additional 6% occurred between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, and about 1% were performed at 21 weeks or more of gestation. These CDC figures include data from 40 states and New York City, but not the rest of New York.

About 2% of all abortions in the U.S. involve some type of complication for the woman , according to an article in StatPearls, an online health care resource. “Most complications are considered minor such as pain, bleeding, infection and post-anesthesia complications,” according to the article.

The CDC calculates  case-fatality rates for women from induced abortions – that is, how many women die from abortion-related complications, for every 100,000 legal abortions that occur in the U.S .  The rate was lowest during the most recent period examined by the agency (2013 to 2020), when there were 0.45 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. The case-fatality rate reported by the CDC was highest during the first period examined by the agency (1973 to 1977), when it was 2.09 deaths to women per 100,000 legal induced abortions. During the five-year periods in between, the figure ranged from 0.52 (from 1993 to 1997) to 0.78 (from 1978 to 1982).

The CDC calculates death rates by five-year and seven-year periods because of year-to-year fluctuation in the numbers and due to the relatively low number of women who die from legal induced abortions.

In 2020, the last year for which the CDC has information , six women in the U.S. died due to complications from induced abortions. Four women died in this way in 2019, two in 2018, and three in 2017. (These deaths all followed legal abortions.) Since 1990, the annual number of deaths among women due to legal induced abortion has ranged from two to 12.

The annual number of reported deaths from induced abortions (legal and illegal) tended to be higher in the 1980s, when it ranged from nine to 16, and from 1972 to 1979, when it ranged from 13 to 63. One driver of the decline was the drop in deaths from illegal abortions. There were 39 deaths from illegal abortions in 1972, the last full year before Roe v. Wade. The total fell to 19 in 1973 and to single digits or zero every year after that. (The number of deaths from legal abortions has also declined since then, though with some slight variation over time.)

The number of deaths from induced abortions was considerably higher in the 1960s than afterward. For instance, there were 119 deaths from induced abortions in  1963  and 99 in  1965 , according to reports by the then-U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, a precursor to the Department of Health and Human Services. The CDC is a division of Health and Human Services.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published May 27, 2022, and first updated June 24, 2022.

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Key facts about the abortion debate in America

Public opinion on abortion, three-in-ten or more democrats and republicans don’t agree with their party on abortion, partisanship a bigger factor than geography in views of abortion access locally, do state laws on abortion reflect public opinion, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Hidden Cameras: What Travelers Need to Know

We talked to security and privacy experts about Airbnb’s new ban on surveillance cameras, your privacy rights and how to find a hidden camera.

By Elaine Glusac

This month, Airbnb announced that, starting April 30, the company would ban the use of surveillance cameras in its rentals. The news was welcomed by those concerned about privacy.

“Cameras are both creepy and a threat,” said Albert Fox Cahn, the executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project , which has campaigned for a ban on cameras in Airbnbs since 2022. “People are terrified about having their intimate moments photographed without their consent and having owners able to monitor their activities within a rental.”

For many travelers, Airbnb’s new policy has prompted some fundamental questions: What were the cameras doing there in the first place? And what are travelers’ rights when it comes to privacy in hotels and rental homes?

Public use of cameras

Cameras, of course, are everywhere in public life, from the self-checkout kiosks at big-box retailers to airport terminals.

Like other businesses, hotels and vacation rentals use surveillance cameras for two reasons, said Michael McCall, a Hilton Hotels Fellow in the School of Hospitality Business at Michigan State University: To protect their customers and their property.

A traveler might feel more secure getting to a hotel room or rental apartment with a security camera in a hallway, for example. And a hotel or host might use cameras to monitor property damage or theft, though the question of whether surveillance is effective in preventing crime is a longstanding debate between privacy and safety advocates.

“There’s a balance between ‘How do I protect my stuff’ and at the same time not intrude on the expected privacy of the guest,” Mr. McCall said. “Airbnb said the inside is off-limits.”

States vary on whether and what degree of consent is required for surveillance, and there are different rules for audio and video recording.

“U.S. privacy law is fragmented at best,” wrote Doris DelTosto Brogan, a law professor and the Heller McGuinness Endowed Leadership Chair at Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law, in Villanova, Penn., in an email. She noted that some federal privacy statutes apply to all states, but that each state can develop its own privacy laws.

Airbnb previously navigated these shoals by requiring that indoor cameras in common spaces, such as hallways and kitchens, had to be disclosed to the renter.

Since 2022, the short-term rental platform Vrbo has banned the use of indoor cameras except for those that are disclosed to guests and can be deactivated by them.

In a statement, the American Hotel and Lodging Association , which represents 80 percent of all franchised hotels in the United States, said surveillance cameras in hotels should be limited to common areas — like lobbies and pools — for security purposes.

‘Reasonable expectation of privacy’

Though regulations vary by state, more legal protections cover nonconsensual videotaping in private areas such as bedrooms and bathrooms.

At the federal level, the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act of 2004 prohibits “knowingly videotaping, photographing, filming, recording by any means, or broadcasting an image of a private area of an individual, without that individual’s consent, under circumstances in which that individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

Many states as well as federal laws hinge on the expectation of privacy. “So that would be often, for example, a bedroom or a bathroom, but not necessarily a common area like a living room,” said Raymond Ku, the John Homer Kapp Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in Cleveland, Ohio.

But it’s the illegal use of hidden cameras that have shocked travelers.

Earlier this month, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship cabin attendant was arrested on federal charges for producing and possessing child sexual abuse imagery by installing video cameras inside guests’ bathrooms and capturing intimate images of passengers as young as 10.

In February, a man was arrested in Palm Beach County, in Florida, on charges of video voyeurism for surreptitiously videotaping 16 different people, sometimes at Airbnb locations.

In September, a 14-year-old passenger on an American Airlines plane discovered an iPhone taped to a toilet seat that her family said a flight attendant had installed .

Legal and security experts believe such invasions are the exceptions, considering the millions of people who travel daily, but that they warrant vigilance.

“People who want to use cameras for nefarious reasons are still in the game,” said Kenneth Bombace, the chief executive of the intelligence firm Global Threat Solutions , describing a new generation of recording devices that are small, subtle and inexpensive.

How to find hidden cameras

In his business, Mr. Bombace uses high-tech devices to conduct searches — from hotel rooms to corporate boardrooms — for hidden recording devices.

For travelers without a high profile or celebrity status, he recommends a “common-sense search of a location.”

This includes looking for small recording devices or telltale lenses in anything connected to a power source such as a clock radio, power outlets themselves and battery-charged electronics such as smoke detectors and Bluetooth speakers. Turn off the lights and use a flashlight — a cellphone flashlight will do — to look for flashing lights that might reveal a camera.

If you’re uncertain, you can throw a towel over an electronic device or tape over the outlets.

Because many recording devices require an internet connection to stream images, check the Wi-Fi network for any connected devices and ask the homeowner or manager what they are. Apps such as Network Analyzer and Ubiquiti WiFiman will scan networks and detect connected devices.

Numerous portable gadgets on Amazon priced at less than $150 claim to detect hidden cameras.

“None of the technologies are 100 percent effective, but they mitigate and lower the chances of a recording device going undetected,” Mr. Bombace said.

What recourse do you have?

If you find a hidden camera in a hotel room or short-term rental, gather evidence by taking pictures or videos and contacting the police. Then, find new accommodations.

Airbnb directs guests to report privacy violations to its customer support team . Vrbo does the same, noting on its website that if you leave a property because of the violation, “the host may be required to refund the entirety of the stay” and could be kicked off the platform.

Hosts still have methods to ensure their property rules aren’t being abused. Both Vrbo and Airbnb allow hosts to use devices outdoors that measure sound decibels without recording conversations if they are disclosed to renters. Vrbo cites their use as fending off potential noise complaints from neighbors. Airbnb, which has a ban on party houses , says the devices may detect “unauthorized parties.”

The platforms still allow external cameras at rental properties as long as they are disclosed to the guest before arrival. The disclosure is usually included in the listing, and the device should not be used to peep indoors. Vrbo goes even further regarding outdoor pool cameras, requiring notice both in property descriptions and on site.

You’ve been warned: Spontaneous skinny-dipping in the pool could be captured on camera.

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

National News | DeSantis bans homeless from sleeping in parks,…

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National News | DeSantis bans homeless from sleeping in parks, takes shot at NYC

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday banning people experiencing homelessness from sleeping in public spaces, including parks and sidewalks, in an effort to address an issue he says has “plagued communities across the country,” such as New York and California.

The legislation, titled the “Unauthorized Public Camping and Public Sleeping” bil l, or HB 1365, prohibits counties and municipalities from authorizing or allowing “public camping or sleeping on public property.” It also allows local officials to create “temporary campsites” when existing shelters reach maximum capacity.

“Florida will not allow homeless encampments to intrude on its citizens or undermine their quality of life like we see in states like New York and California,” the Republican governor, said Wednesday in a news release. “The legislation I signed today upholds our commitment to law and order while also ensuring homeless individuals have the resources they need to get back on their feet.”

While acknowledging the “difficult issues” faced by those individuals — such as mental health and drug abuse issues — DeSantis said Floridians “should not be accosted by a homeless like we see.”

“You should be able to able to walk down the street and live your life ,” the former presidential hopeful told reporters at a press conference held at a restaurant in South Miami Beach.

According to DeSantis, the campsites will enforce the prohibition of the use of alcohol and illegal substances, while also providing people with access to substance abuse and mental health treatment resources.

But critics say the $30 million the state has allocated to implement the measures is not nearly enough.

“We’re going to need so much more funding if we’re going to build up these resources,” Megan Sarmento, an outreach program manager for the Florida Harm Reduction Collective, told the Tallahassee Democrat.

“Even now, how the system is, we are finding people on the streets and are unable to link them to care because of the lack of resources, including housing and detox.”

The new legislation will likely make life for those individuals even harder, according to Rep. Anna Eskamani, a Democrat representing parts of Orlando.

“Property insurance rates in FL have skyrocketed, making it increasingly difficult for families to afford homes. Rent is high, wages too low,” Eskamani posted on X earlier on Wednesday. “But instead of addressing those issues, DeSantis just signed into law a bill that will likely lead to the criminalization of homelessness. “

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