Last week, NYC Council Transportation Committee heard public comments on 22 bills designed to be the first phase of Mayor De Blasio’s Vision Zero . The Day started with a press conference where “Families for Safe Streets” which regroup members of the families of crash victims spoke up. They again testified at the hearing and went first , before the agencies. We applaud Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez for such a wise move to underscore the importance of victims in this fight and make sure the agencies listen to the effects of the current policies .
Earlier this week, Chekpeds representatives joined a group of 150 volunteers to travel to Albany to convince legislators to allow New York City to set up its default speed limit at 20mph. This would allow the speed limit to be reduced to 20 mph all at once around the 2,500 NYC schools that should get slow zones. Many victims families came as well as the young friends of one of the victims . While most of the elected we met were respectfully understanding, some questioned why pedestrians are such a hindrance to drivers. Mercifully this was a very small minority… Still .
You can read CHEKPEDS testimony here. Here is the list of the 22 bills :
- Proposed Int. No. 43-A – In relation to a study on left turns.
- Proposed Int. No. 46-A – In relation to traffic control signals.
- Proposed Int. No. 80-A – In relation to work zone safety on bridges.
- Int. No. 140 – In relation to reducing speed limits and establishing slow zones.
- Int. No. 153 – In relation to requiring the department of information technology and telecommunications to create and maintain an interactive website detailing traffic crash data.
- Proposed Int. No. 167-A – In relation to prohibiting certain stunt behavior with vehicles.
- Proposed Int. No. 168-A – In relation to safer arterial streets.
- Proposed Int. No. 171-A – In relation to traffic violations and serious crashes.
- Proposed Int. No. 174-A – In relation to taxi and limousine commission review of crashes.
- Int. No. 198 – In relation to side guards.
- Proposed Int. No. 238-A – In relation to the right of way of pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Int. No. 272 – In relation to the New York city taxi and limousine commission’s critical drivers and persistent violators programs.
- Int. No. 276 – In relation to a pilot program involving black box or telematics technology in taxis and street hail liveries.
- Int. No. 277 – In relation to the reporting of crash data involving taxi and limousine commission licensed vehicles.
- Res. No. 6 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to amend the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law to increase the criminal penalty for reckless driving when serious physical injury or death of a person results from the reckless driving.
- Res. No. 51 – Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to remedy several deficiencies in the law regarding leaving the scene of an accident.
- Res. No. 61 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would lower New York City’s speed limit.
- Proposed Res. No. 68-A – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation increasing the penalty for driving on the sidewalk.
- Res. No. 111 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would lower New York City’s speed limit to 25 miles per hour.
- Res. No. 117 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would give New York City control over its own speed camera program.
- Res. No. 118 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would give New York City control over its own red light camera program.
- Res. No. 144 – Resolution calling upon the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would make a violation of Hayley and Diego’s Law a misdemeanor