The state Thruway Authority says that accidents have gone up along the Tappan Zee Bridge since this time last year, and distractions caused by construction seem to be the cause.

News 12 asked the Thruway Authority for its statistics on Tappan Zee accidents from January to April over the past four years. The numbers show a gradual decrease in the number of accidents on the bridge, from 75 in 2012 to 53 during the same period in 2014.

During the period of January to April 2015, accidents went up to 71 as construction began to kick into high gear.

Residents living near the construction say drivers are often distracted by the large cranes and other equipment, often turning their heads to catch a glimpse while in the narrow lanes.

Despite the increase since this time last year, the Thruway Authority says that the number of accidents along the bridge's span have, on average, gone down since the project began.