Data shows that the implementation of car-free streets leads to a reduction in car crashes and injuries, according to a new analysis by Streetsblog. The analysis specifically examined New York City’s “Open Streets” program on 34th Avenue between 69th Street and Junction Boulevard in Queens, which is kept pedestrian-only for 12 hours every day. Using data […]
Traffic Accidents
Advocates Call for New NYC Mayor to Double Down on Road Safety
A new analysis by Streetsblog identified five “dangerous neighborhoods” for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users for New York’s new mayoral administration to focus on. Noting that there were more traffic fatalities in New York in 2021 than in any other year during the Bill de Blasio administration, the report stressed the need for Mayor Eric […]
Bill de Blasio Leaves Office After Deadliest Year for NYC Streets
Despite his “Vision Zero” campaign to eliminate car crash deaths in New York City, former mayor Bill de Blasio departed office last week with “more traffic fatalities than any other year” in his eight-year administration, according to a report by the New York Post. A total of 266 people lost their lives in traffic violence incidents […]
NYC’s Next Transportation Commissioner Pledges to Make Streets Safer
After a fatal truck crash on the Upper East Side on Christmas Eve, New York City’s soon-to-be Transportation Commissioner said he would take immediate steps to increase pedestrian and cyclist safety as soon as he takes office. The incoming Commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, described traffic violence in New York as a “pandemic of crashes,” according to Streetsblog. […]
NYC Agencies Launch Traffic Safety Initiative During Holidays
Four New York City agencies announced they would step up traffic enforcement during the holiday season. In a press release issued last week, the New York City Police Department, New York City Department of Transportation, New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced efforts “to crack down […]
Under NHTSA Scrutiny, Tesla Updates Gaming Feature
A feature allowing Tesla drivers to play video games on their cars’ touchscreens while driving has been discontinued after federal scrutiny. According to a report by CNN, the electric car company announced it would update the software such that drivers could not access the feature while their cars were in motion. The feature was under investigation […]
NYC Safe Streets Advocates Applaud Adams’ Transportation Commissioner Pick
While deadly streets remain a concern for New Yorkers, recent reports by Streetsblog and the New York Post suggests that the incoming mayoral administration may be a cause for hope. Mayor-elect Eric Adams has reportedly selected City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez to be his Transportation Commissioner, plucking him from his eight-year tenure on the City Council’s Transportation Committee. As Streetsblog […]
New York Traffic Violence Roundup
Recent reports by the New York Post highlight a raft of deadly car crashes in New York City in the last few weeks, emphasizing the need for safer streets and more vigorous traffic enforcement. A December 12 notice, for instance, describes a car crash in Long Island last weekend in which the driver of a pickup […]
Traffic Violence Continues to Injure and Kill New York Motorists, Pedestrians
A review of recent car accidents in New York emphasizes the importance of street safety and enforcement of criminal traffic laws. More information on the below incidents is available via the linked news reports. In Elmira, New York, WETM recently reported that an accident involving a jeep and a pickup truck resulted in unspecified injuries. The collision resulted in “minor damage” to […]
Reckless Driving Killed Tens of Thousands in 2020; Experts Ponder Causes
Earlier this year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data projecting that in 2020, motor vehicle traffic crashes resulted in a stunning 38,680 deaths, even traffic volume decreased as people drove less during the pandemic. This figure represented the highest number of motor vehicle traffic crashes since 2007, and an increase of about 7.2% over 2019, when there […]
New York Set to Receive Massive Bike Safety Funding
New York Senator Chuck Schumer has promised his constituents that they’ll receive “an effing lot of money” for cycling infrastructure, according to a recent report by Streetsblog. During a news conference at the Queensboro bridge discussing the freshly passed federal infrastructure bill, Schumer said that $289 million in federal funding will be directed toward making […]
Debate Rages Over East Flatbush Bike Safety Proposals
A New York state legislator is working with a New York City transportation policymaker to stymie a move by the NYC Department of Transportation to make East Flatbush safer for cyclists, according to a recent report by StreetsBlog. The Assembly Member, Brooklyn’s Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, and the Community Board 17 Transportation Committee Chairman, Roderick Daley, recently declared their […]
NYC Bill Would Make Food Delivery Companies Cover Accident Costs
New York City Council member Mark Gjonaj has introduced a bill that would require food delivery services like DoorDash and Uber Eats to reimburse delivery workers for “certain costs” resulting from vehicle crashes as they delivery food. According to a New York Post report and the City Council’s website, require the companies to reimburse expenses relating to medical treatment and property damage, […]
NYC Steps Up “Dusk and Darkness” Traffic Enforcement
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office has announced the return of multi-agency traffic enforcement to protect vulnerable and road users after sunset in the fall and winter. Referred to as the city’s “Dusk and Darkness campaign,” the effort involves increased traffic enforcement in the evening and nighttime, specifically with regard to speeding and failure to […]
Traffic Violence Killed Two People in NYC Last Week
The death toll of New York City’s streets increased by at least two last week, according to reports by the New York Daily News and Streetsblog. The victims were a 33-year-old man who died after being struck by a reportedly “drugged-up” driver in Brooklyn, and a 78-year-old woman “run over and killed by the driver of a massive […]
Car Crash Fatalities Increase in New York in 2021: Report
The first half of 2021 saw an increase in car crash-related deaths in New York, according to a recent report by News 10. Citing an analysis of traffic fatality data by QuoteWizard, the report observes that “fatal crashes are up 13% in the first half of 2021,” with 251 fatal crashes during the first six months of 2020 […]
Cyclist Killed by Truck Driver in Queens
The death of a cyclist struck and killed by a box truck driver in Queens has renewed concerns about unprotected bike lanes in New York City. According to news reports, the 58-year-old man, Qiang Tu, was riding down 47th Avenue in Sunnyside, Queens when the truck driver traveling in the same direction hit him as he made a turn […]
NY Gov. Hochul Endorses Local Speed Camera Control
New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently expressed support for measures that would allow New York City to add speed cameras without permission from the state legislature—a move that transit activists and city policymakers have long been advocating for. According to a recent report by StreetsBlog, the governor’s comments came during an event with local publication City & […]
New York City and State Authorities to Huddle over Reckless Driving
A letter obtained by New York City local news publication StreetsBlog reveals that the city’s Department of Transportation Commissioner is pursuing a meeting with the head of the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles to discuss solutions to the city’s fatal reckless driving problem. The letter, from DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman to DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder, was sent on October […]
SUVs Involved in Tragic Deaths of Two NYC Children
The last week in New York City put a tragic spotlight on the danger of large SUVs that impede driver visibility. As StreetsBlog and the New York Daily News reported, two 2-year-old New Yorkers were hit and killed by SUV drivers. Neither driver was charged. On Friday, October 29th, a two-year-old named Autumn Garrison was walking on a Staten […]
Investigation Raises Questions about NYC’s 311 Program
A sweeping new investigation by StreetsBlog uncovered apparently widespread misconduct connected to New York City’s 311 program, with dangerous and potentially fatal traffic violations left unaddressed by authorities. Drawing on analysis of 26 million complaints filed through the 311 program since 2010, as well as interviews with a range of stakeholders and experts, StreetsBlog found that the New York Police Department […]
Recent Traffic Violence Inspires Harsh Criticism of NYC Government
News reports have documented the three recent New York City car crashes that left vulnerable road users injured or dead, with some commentators directing harsh criticism toward city officials in a year of road violence unprecedented in the de Blasio Administration. E-Bike Rider Killed in Queens On October 11th, an e-bike rider was struck by the teenage driver of […]
Investigation Finds Rampant NYC School Bus Moving Violations
A recent investigation by the New York Daily News found that as nearly two-thirds of New York City school buses “have been issued at least one speeding or red light camera ticket since 2014.” Of the city’s 10,497 registered school buses, 6,895 (or 65%) have received tickets. Of those 6,895 buses that received tickets for speeding or […]
RECKLESS DRIVING NYC: ARE RECKLESS DRIVING COURSES ENOUGH?
New York City’s “court-ordered safe-driving course” for reckless drivers has drawn criticism after reports that the motorist who struck and killed a 3-month-old in Brooklyn had previously completed the program. According to StreetsBlog, the driver, Tyrik Mott, “did not alter his violent driving behavior in any way” after completing the program on May 4th, 2021, after […]
2021 Named the “Deadliest Summer” for NYC Streets
An analysis by transit safety group Transportation Alternatives found that the summer of 2021 was the “deadliest summer” of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, which launched its “Vision Zero” program to eliminate traffic violence deaths in the city seven years ago. According to Transportation Alternatives, 77 people died in car crashes over between June […]