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De Blasio Signs Vision Zero Legislation At Site Where 8-Year-Old Was Killed

Lauren Evans

Published Jun 23, 2014

Modified Jun 23, 2014

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Lauren Evans

Published Jun 23, 2014

Modified Jun 23, 2014

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Earlier today, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed 11 bills aimed at improving safety on city streets, including measures to crack down on dangerous drivers, improve traffic data collection and install new "slow zone" infrastructure and signage near seven particularly deadly intersections by 2015.

“We have promised the people of this city that we will use every tool we have to make streets safer," de Blasio said in a statement. "Today is another step on our path to fulfilling that promise, and sparing more families the pain of losing a son, a daughter, or a parent in a senseless tragedy."

The legislation was passed by the city council last month, despite grumbling that the bills unfairly target taxi drivers thanks to its inclusion of Cooper's Law, which requires the Taxi and Limousine Commission to suspend drivers involved in crashes in which a person is critically injured or dies, in addition to three other bills that mandate that the TLC to keep an extra critical eye on drivers with a history of dangerous driving.

Still, transportation advocates are continuing to urge the city to press forward with stricter penalties for unsafe drivers and improved safety conditions for pedestrians and cyclists. "We now call on the City, the NYPD, and Albany to follow suit and take further steps necessary to truly protect New Yorkers from driver crimes that create unsafe streets. Far more action is needed on each of today’s positive developments for NYC to seriously reduce traffic violence and fatalities," it said in a statement at the time.

The legislation was signed just days after state lawmakers agreed to lower the default city speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. The next step is for it to be signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo, which he is expected to do.

Advocacy group Transportation Alternatives applauded de Blasio and the council for passing the legislation in a timely manner.

"These new laws place the city firmly on the road to Vision Zero," Executive Director Paul Steely White wrote in a statement. "They give us lifesaving tools that will be even more effective now that state lawmakers have given New York the authority to set a 25 mph speed limit. Speeding remains the leading cause of deadly crashes, killing more New Yorkers than drunk driving and distracted driving combined. When motorists travel at a safer speed limit, they have more time to react when the unexpected happens. Even if a collision can’t be avoided, it’s less likely to be lethal."

The bills were signed by de Blasio this morning in Queens, at the site where 8-year-old Noshat Nahian was killed by the driver of a tractor trailer in December. The intersection, at Northern Boulevard and 61st Street, has since been given the slow zone treatment by DOT, with improvements including two new pedestrian islands to shorten crossing distances across Northern, more pedestrian-only crossing time and enhanced crosswalks and parking regulations to provide greater visibility.

Here are the 11 bills:

Intro 43A: Requires DOT to study left turns and produce a report every five years
Intro 46A: Requires DOT to respond to address major traffic signal issues within 24 hours
Intro 80A: Requires DOT to produce a report on work zone safety guidelines on bridges
Intro 140A: Requires DOT to install seven Neighborhood Slow Zones in 2014 and 2015 and lower speeds to 15-20 mph near 50 schools annually
Intro 167A: Prohibits stunt behaviors on motorcycles
Intro 168A: Requires DOT to study arterial roadways and produce a report every five years
Intro 171A (“Cooper’s Law”): Requires TLC to suspend a driver involved in a crash in which a person is critically injured or dies, and where the driver receives a summons for any related traffic violation
Intro 174A: Requires TLC to review crashes where critical injury or death resulted
Intro 238A: Establishes penalties for vehicles that fail to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists
Intro 272A: Amends the TLC Critical Driver and Persistent Violator programs to add points to TLC and DMV licenses
Intro 277A: Requires TLC to report quarterly crash data involving taxi and limousine commission licensed vehicles

Tagged

bill de blasio

cyclist safety

pedestrian safety

vision zero

Lauren Evans

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