New York City Vision Zero

New York City Vision Zero was created by Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2014, with a goal that by 2025 there will be no more traffic fatalities in NYC.

Introduction

New York City saw a significant decrease in traffic fatalities over the last 2 decades. In 1990 there were around 2000 traffic fatalities. In 2013 there were 286 traffic fatalities.[1] 2014 saw the least pedestrian fatalities since 1910.[2]

History

On January 15, 2014 Mayor de Blasio announced the launch of Vision Zero in NYC. The idea is based on Swedish system with the same name, which claims that pedestrian deaths are not as “accidents” rather a failure of street design.[3]

Initiatives

The plan includes criminal charges against traffic violators, speed limit reduction, slow zones, increased enforcement, increase use of speed cameras, quicker repairing broken traffic signals, strict enforcement on taxi drivers and more.[1]

Speed limit

Under the Vision Zero plan - the speed limit in NYC was reduced from 30 MPH to 25 MPH.[3]

Criminal action

New Vision Zero laws were passed, making it a crime and imprisonment if a driver does not yield to a pedestrian and causes death or injury. Any government official on duty is exempt from this law is not charged with a crime.[4]

Controversy

Transit union officials say that bus drivers are under attack through this law, and that they should be treated like government officials and not be charged criminally. Opponents argue, that Buses killed at least 9 of the 132 pedestrians in 2014 and that they should therefore be investigated like anyone else.[4]

Success rates

There was a reduction in traffic fatatlities in the year 2014 but there are mixed results.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 LEMIRE, JONATHAN (May 29, 2014). "NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL PASSES VISION ZERO LEGISLATION". 7 News -AP. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. ↑ DONOHU, PETE (December 30, 2014). "EXCLUSIVE: Pedestrian traffic deaths hit record low in New York City". Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. 1 2 Lisa, Belkin (January 14, 2015). "‘Vision Zero,’ one year on: NYC’s quest to reduce preventable traffic deaths". Yahoo News. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 FITZSIMMONS, EMMA G. (Feb 19, 2015). "Mayor de Blasio’s Traffic Law Vilifies Bus Drivers, Union Says". New York Times. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  5. ↑ NOLAN HICKS , CAITLIN NOLAN , BARRY PADDOCK (May 26, 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: Daily News probe finds mixed results for Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero plan". NY Daily News. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
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