Friday’s Headlines: Department of Victim Blaming Edition

For all of New York City’s progress in reducing fatal traffic crashes since former Mayor Bill de Blasio launched “Vision Zero” in 2014, we may be slipping back to where we started.

That’s according to a bombshell report by Gothamist — that “traffic deaths in the city are on pace to reach their highest number since at least 2013.”

But while climbing crash stats aren’t necessarily news — Streetsblog has been on top of this year’s growing crisis — this is: After 10 years focused on engineering, enforcement and education against reckless driving, the New York City Department of Transportation has decided to blame pedestrian victims for their own deaths.

That’s right, according to Gothamist, DOT told the news outlet that “jaywalking” is partly to blame for the increased carnage (along with reckless driving).

The turn towards blaming pedestrians comes after DOT officials last month pushed back on legislation to legalize “jaywalking,” enforcement of which overwhelmingly targets communities of color. In opposing the bill, DOT noted that 34 percent of pedestrian traffic victims over the past five years were crossing “mid-block” or in a crosswalk without a light — implying that their crossing decisions had something to do with the dangerous act of driving that following.

If Gothamist tells the truth, then shame on the agency for taking a huge step back — and letting reckless drivers off the hook. No pedestrian deserves to die. Drivers of multi-ton death machines bear responsibility for their actions — not their victims.

In other news:

• A fourth victim of last week’s Fourth of July drunk curb jumper has died. (NY Post)
• 20-year-old hit-and-run driver arrested in April 2023 crash that killed DOE worker. (Daily News)
• State sets out to extend Mario M. Cuomo Bridge bike/ped path. (LoHud.com)
• Visualize the impact on subway riders of Gov. Hochul’s abandonment of congestion pricing. (NY Times)
• Teen skateboarder in critical condition after being pinned by SUV driver in Brooklyn. (Daily News, NY Post)
• See the damage reckless driver and U.S. Sen. John Fetterman caused on a Maryland highway last month. (Washington Post)
• Hell Gate breaks down the car chaos at one notorious Brooklyn interserction.