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Keep Your Heads Up, Assholes: NYPD Starts NEW Weeklong Traffic Crackdown
By
Jen Chung
Published May 26, 2014
Modified May 26, 2014
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 26, 2014
Modified May 26, 2014
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How the NYPD felt about bike lanes in 2011—they were perfect for special parking outside Papa John's
For the third week in a row, the NYPD has announced "Traffic Safety Enforcement Initiative." This time, it'll be over seven days, starting Monday, and running through Sunday, June 1.
The police say it's part of their "effort to reduce traffic collisions and conditions that cause death and injury."
Enforcement will be conducted in 21 selected precincts throughout the five boroughs and will focus on hazardous driving behaviors such as speeding, passing through red lights, driving while using a cellphone, driving while texting, making improper turns, disobeying traffic signs, and failing to yield to pedestrians.
There will also be focused enforcement on parking violations that create roadway hazards for pedestrians, as well as bicyclists and vehicles. These violations include parking at a bus stop or in a crosswalk, and double parking.
The NYPD strongly encourages safe driving and urges the public to use caution and drive safely by adhering to vehicle traffic laws when driving on City Streets.
On May 13 and May 16, the NYPD went after drivers who texted or didn't yield to pedestrians, resulting in over 5,000 summonses. On May 20 and May 21, the police focused on speeding violations and wrote 4,814 summonses.
During the first crackdown, Transportation Alternatives' Noah Budnick said of the effort, "It shows that the goal is changing people’s behavior not writing the most number of tickets. Writing tickets is important, but the point isn’t to set-up an 'I gotcha' situation and nab people. The point is to compel people to make safe decisions."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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