This is all part of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Vision Zero” program to reduce pedestrian deaths.
What We Know:
- “Vision Zero”, a program first started in Sweden in the 1990’s, is now taking over major US cities like Washington D.C., Seattle and now New York City to stop the reported 40,000 US citizens killed each year in traffic accidents.
- It is stated to be “a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.”
- They are fighting to make sure that traffic system designers and policymakers improve the policies and overall road system to keep drivers as well as pedestrians safe through collaboration of these two groups of city-planners and setting the key goal of making sure there are zero preventable fatalities or injuries.
- According to the “Vision Zero” website, what makes a city a “Vision Zero” city is:
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- A clear goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries being set.
- The Mayor publicly committing to Vision Zero.
- A Vision Zero plan or strategy is in place, or the Mayor has committed to doing so in a clear time frame.
- Key city departments (including police, transportation and public health) are engaged.
- In May, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a state law that allows the city to use speed cameras in 750 school zones and that number is set to increase to 2,000 by 2021. This is a giant increase from the previously approved 140 school zones that were approved.
- “This is a major step toward our goal of achieving Vision Zero,” de Blasio said. “Speed cameras are an invaluable tool that help us save the lives of countless children every year. We’re sending a message to all our motorists: drive at a safe speed or pay the price.”
- While some critics see this new law as a way for the city to raise money or unnecessarily ticket drivers (If drivers go 10 miles over the speed limit, they will receive a $50 fine in the mail), this is truly a law that will save lives.
Shoutout to Blasio for protecting his citizens!
