Res. No. 117-A
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.
By Council Members Vacca, Levine, Van Bramer, Chin, Cohen, Ferreras, Lander, Reynoso, Torres, Rosenthal, Mendez, Koslowitz, Menchaca, Levin, Barron and Dromm
Whereas, In 2013, 286 people, including 168 pedestrians, were killed in traffic crashes in New York City, according to New York City Police Department (NYPD) data; and
Whereas, In 2013, "unsafe speed" was cited as a contributing factor in over 3,000 collisions that resulted in injuries or fatalities in the City, also according to NYPD data; and
Whereas, Many studies have concluded that the chances of a pedestrian surviving a motor vehicle collision decrease dramatically as the speed of the vehicle increases; and
Whereas, One such study by the United Kingdom Transportation Department determined that while a pedestrian has a 45 percent chance of dying if struck by a vehicle traveling at 30 miles per hour, the chance of death drops to 5 percent if the vehicle is traveling at 20 miles per hour; and
Whereas, Slower speeds also decrease stopping distance, giving drivers a better chance to take action to prevent collisions from occurring in the first place; and
Whereas, According to Mayor de Blasio's Vision Zero Action Plan ("Action Plan"), since 1988, New York City's 190 red light cameras have issued over 4 million violations, and intersections where red light cameras were installed saw a 20 percent decline in all injuries, a 31 percent decrease in pedestrian injuries, and a 25 percent decrease in serious injuries in the three years after installation; and
Whereas, According to the Action Plan, evidence exists that the red light cameras have deterred dangerous driving behavior, as the number of violations issued by the cameras declined by 22 percent from 2010 to 2011; and
Whereas, In Washington D.C., at intersections where speed cameras are in use the number of crashes and injuries has gone down by 20 percent, according to the Action Plan; and
Whereas, In 2013, the New York State Legislature passed, and the Governor signed, legislation authorizing New York City to implement a demonstration program in which it can use cameras to automatically enforce speeding laws at no more than 20 locations near schools, during school hours, for five years; and
Whereas, In a four-month period at the beginning of 2014, the five speed cameras in operation in the City caught 14,500 drivers going at least 40 miles per hour; and
Whereas, The State Legislature recently passed legislation which would increase to 140 the number of locations where speed cameras can operate under the demonstration program; and
Whereas, In the interest of safety, the City should be able to control the number and placement of speed cameras within its borders as it sees fit; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls 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.
LS# 687, 783
5/21/2014
JM