Traffic Enforcement
Streetsblog Basics
DiNapoli: Most New York DWI Offenders Ditching Ignition Interlocks
Ignition interlock devices, intended to prevent cars from starting if alcohol is detected in a driver's breath, can be an effective tool to curb drunk driving. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s DMV rule reforms include an interlock requirement for drivers who are issued restricted licenses after multiple DWI convictions. In 2009 the state legislature passed Leandra’s Law, which among other things mandates six months of interlock use for drivers convicted of DWI.
October 9, 2015
NYPD Conspicuously Absent From City Council Vision Zero Hearing
How seriously does Police Commissioner Bill Bratton take Vision Zero? The City Council transportation committee held a hearing today to gauge the city's progress in reducing traffic injuries and deaths, and NYPD didn't send a single person to provide testimony or answer questions.
October 7, 2015
NYPD Should Open Data on All Traffic Summonses, Not Just on Truck Routes
Legislation introduced by City Council members this week would require NYPD to publish data on crashes and summonses along NYC truck routes. The bill is intended to improve safety on truck routes, but a better approach would be to have NYPD post all traffic summons data.
October 2, 2015
Andrew Cuomo Could (Still) Save Thousands of Lives With One Phone Call
On Monday Andrew Cuomo hailed DMV rule changes that have resulted in license sanctions for recidivist drunk drivers. The governor, who spearheaded the reforms himself, could also use the power of his office to take driving privileges from motorists who habitually commit other deadly violations, like speeding, which kill and injure thousands of New Yorkers every year.
September 29, 2015
34th Precinct Cracks Down on Drivers Double-Parked in Inwood Bike Lanes
When DOT installed new bike lanes on Sherman Avenue in Inwood a few weeks back, it didn't take long before they were blocked by double-parked drivers.
September 28, 2015
Will NYPD Charge Truck Driver Who Hit Cyclist in Corona Bike Lane?
A truck driver hit a cyclist in a bike lane in Queens yesterday, causing serious injuries. Though the police account of the crash indicates the cyclist had the right of way, NYPD has not charged the driver with violating the Right of Way Law.
September 22, 2015
Seniors Are Not to Blame for NYC’s Failure to Make Streets Safer
In response to motorists fatally striking seniors in the Brooklyn South command, NYPD admonished seniors to be more careful when going outside. A recent fatality in the 70th Precinct is a prime example of how focusing on the behavior of victims is a wrongheaded and ineffective approach to street safety.
September 21, 2015
24th Precinct CO: We’re Making Streets Safer by Cracking Down on Cyclists
An Upper West Side NYPD precinct where motorists killed six pedestrians and cyclists in 2014 says it’s reducing injuries by cracking down on people riding bikes.
September 18, 2015
Mayor’s Report Card: Traffic Deaths Falling, But Policy a Mixed Bag
Each year, the City Charter requires the mayor to issue a report showing whether city agencies are meeting their goals. This year's report card is a mixed bag for street safety, DOT, and NYPD. While fatalities are down, the direction of the enforcement and street design policies behind Vision Zero is less clear.
September 18, 2015
NYPD to Brooklyn Seniors: Stop Getting Killed by Motorists
Drivers keep killing seniors in southern Brooklyn and the NYPD’s response was to admonish seniors to be more careful crossing the street.
September 16, 2015