New York – Pedestrian deaths are at historic lows in New York City after a push by City Hall to make streets safer.
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According to the New York Times, (http://nyti.ms/1AfUxGW ) there were 132 pedestrian deaths from traffic accidents in 2014, the lowest since the city began keeping records. There were 180 in 2013.
Preliminary city data shows overall traffic fatalities are down to 248 from 293 in 2013.
The Times reports that the decline comes as the city implements a plan from Mayor Bill de Blasio to eliminate traffic deaths by 2024. The speed limit was lowered to 25 miles per hour from 30 mph. Police have strengthened enforcement, increasing summonses for failure to yield to pedestrians by 126 percent and speeding by 42 percent, the newspaper reported.
If the politicians would really care about vision zero they would do well by focusing on the pedestrians as well as drivers. Here are just a few examples. 1) Make it a law to wear a reflective belt especially at night in the rain. 2) Getting people to wait on the sidewalk until the light changes. I’m not even talking about people who run across the street against their light. There are some busy intersections in Boro park where if you are even the second car at the green light you won’t be able to make it through because of pedestrians inching their way across the street. 3) Something has to be done about people using their smartphones as they walk. It used to be just talking. but with texting people are totally oblivious of their surroundings. 4) Pedestrians (especially if they don’t drive) assume if they are walking in the street you see them. But you have sun glare, dimly lit streets especially at corners, a driver can also get distracted. Please walk responsibly.
I would add the quotidian carriage pushers who use their baby as a canary to check for traffic. As for drivers; when turning left “under pressure” from opposing traffic (on a two way street), please be very aware of pedestrians as you turn at 30 MPH; I nebech knocked a Paki right out of his sandals a few years ago!
What’s missing is whether the drop was related to the implementation of “vision zero” or not. The regulations have only been in place for a couple of months. Were the first 3/4s of the year average and then a steep decline in the 4th quarter or were we on track already for decrease?
Its amazing how the times is spinning a story. The dead toll in 2013 was 183 Now, isn’t this a record low?! The vision zero become effective in September but the dead toll hit another record just 132 explain me what in the world this has to do with de blasio??
this is due to changes implemented during bloombergs reign.
I understand that this was a goal of the new mayor. Why, I cannot tell you.