In his State of the City speech, Mayor de Blasio announced a new NYPD Vision Zero Unit to crack down on dangerous driving behavior, like failure to yield. But data shows many drivers who get summonses for that offense face no penalties.
Cycling advocates see promise in recent city initiatives but say they’d like to see the administration take more aggressive action overall when it comes to transforming New York’s streets.
‘The next time you’re driving or otherwise find yourself on Bushwick Avenue or Broadway ask yourself, Do I feel safe? Are the streets safe for children and older adults? Would I encourage people to bike or use Citi Bike here?’
An upcoming rezoning has some worried that more residents will clog up the roads in cars and bikes, contributing to more crashes and pedestrian deaths.
Activists say 15 cyclists have been killed on the city’s streets so far this year, including three fatalities that took place in one week.
Forcing cops to attend hearings? Letting victims be part of the process? Reforming the law itself? We asked experts and advocates to weigh in on how to fix flaws in the city’s ‘failure to yield’ law exposed by a City Limits investigation.
A majority of summonses issued under the city’s ‘failure to yield’ law end up getting dismissed after hearings, a City Limits investigation found, and victims rarely learn the outcome of those cases.
The reduction of traffic deaths in New York City under his Vision Zero program is one of Mayor de Blasio’s talking points as he runs for president. But while deaths have fallen, an advocate and a Councilmember agree that progress has slowed.
‘A city that prioritizes the lives of a majority of its people over the demands and convenience of automobile drivers would not hesitate to saturate every city street, avenue and highway throughout the five boroughs with speed cameras that operate 24 hours a day. ‘
In a city with crowded streets, a rising population and soaring land prices, most New York City parking is free. Experts say that contributes to a shortage of spaces that generates traffic, obstructs deliveries, slows buses and drives motorists crazy.
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