Res. No. 1762

Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to introduce and pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that would allow New York City to provide a credit against the business corporation and unincorporated business taxes to fleet companies for a portion of the qualifying expenses on safety technology systems

By Council Member Reynoso

Whereas, According to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, there were over 70,000 vehicle collisions in New York City in 2016; and

Whereas, Those vehicle collisions resulted in 230 fatalities and over 68,000 personal injuries of varying severities; and

Whereas, In the same year, there were over 2,100 collisions in the City involving large trucks, resulting in 26 fatalities and 2,100 personal injuries; and

Whereas, Among the contributing causes of collisions reported to police, human factor constituted 69 percent of all vehicle collisions and 71 percent of large truck collisions in the City; and

Whereas, Examples of human factors include backing unsafely, eating or drinking, using headphones, passing too closely, texting, falling asleep, following too closely, fatigue, driver distraction, or alcohol and drug use; and

Whereas, In 2014, Mayor De Blasio implemented Vision Zero, a comprehensive action plan to  improve road safety and end traffic fatalities and injuries in the City; and

Whereas, As part of Vision Zero, the City and some private fleet companies continue to provide safety trainings to their fleet operators; and

Whereas, Although these trainings have helped improve safe driving, there is a need for safety technology systems to aid vehicle operators and avoid collisions, especially those caused by human factors; and

Whereas, Safety technology systems include dashboard and backup cameras, electronic data recorders, collision avoidance systems, or a combination; and

Whereas, The cameras and recorders capture film of hard brake stops, swerves, collisions, and moving traffic violations; and

Whereas, Companies are able to review films and other recordings in order to curb and modify risky driving behaviors through trainings and other necessary intervention programs; and

Whereas, The collision avoidance systems use sensors to immediately alert vehicle operators of lane departures, speeding, and tailgating, as well as the presence of pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles in their way, to help avoid possible collision; and

Whereas, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration studies show that 74 percent of all accidents include driver inattention in the last three seconds preceding the accident,

60 percent of road accident fatalities are due to unintentional lane departures, and 40 percent of rear end collision have no brake applications whatsoever; and

Whereas, In April 2017, the Taxi and Limousines Commission (TLC) completed its Vehicle Safety Technology Pilot, a program that tested nine different technology systems on 385 TLC-licensed vehicles; and

Whereas, TLC’s second report on the pilot, released in September 2016, showed a decline in the number of crashes per vehicle for all vehicles participating in the pilot; and

Whereas, Some private fleet operators have equipped their vehicles with some of these safety technology systems, however, other operators may find it too costly to install safety technology systems in all their vehicles; and

Whereas, Providing a tax credit to cover a portion of the cost will encourage such companies to purchase and install the needed safety technology systems; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Legislature to introduce and pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation that will allow New York City to provide a credit against the business corporation and unincorporated business taxes to private fleet companies for a portion of qualifying expenses on safety technology systems.

WK 10-24-17

LS #6737