City takes steps to reduce accidents and injuries by lowering speed limits

Spurred in part by the addition of bike lanes and pedestrian plazas in the middle of wide streets, New York City will institute a lower speed limit in as many as 13 additional neighborhoods, reducing speed to a maximum of 20 miles per hour.

The first so-called neighborhood slow zone was started in November, in the Claremont section of the Bronx. The result, according to city officials, was a 10 percent reduction in speeding in the area.

The new zones will be in neighborhoods such as:

•· Corona in Queens

•· Boerum Hill in Brooklyn

•· Riverdale in the Bronx

•· Inwood in Manhattan

•· Rosebank on Staten Island

These neighborhoods were selected based on their history of car accidents, community support, and the presence of schools, senior centers and day care operations. The new zones may also have speed bumps and special signs.

Transportation officials cited data showing that pedestrians hit by cars going 40 miles per hour had a 30 percent chance of surviving. A reduction in speed of only 10 miles per hour raised the survival rate to 80 percent. People hit by motor vehicles travelling at 20 miles per hour had a 95 percent chance of survival.

Other efforts to reduce pedestrian accidents and fatalities include installing speed cameras that would monitor drivers and issue speeding citations automatically. A bill to accomplish this has stalled in Albany, and city officials have expressed their frustration.

The first so-called neighbourhood slow zone was started in November, in the Claremont section of the Bronx. The result, according to city officials, was a 10 percent reduction in speeding in the area.

The new zones will be in neighbourhoods such as:

• Corona in Queens
• Boerum Hill in Brooklyn
• Riverdale in the Bronx
• Inwood in Manhattan
• Rosebank on Staten Island

These neighbourhoods were selected based on their history of car accidents, community support, and the presence of schools, senior centers and day care operations. The new zones may also have speed bumps and special signs.

Transportation officials cited data showing that pedestrians hit by cars going 40 miles per hour had a 30 percent chance of surviving. A reduction in speed of only 10 miles per hour raised the survival rate to 80 percent. People hit by motor vehicles travelling at 20 miles per hour had a 95 percent chance of survival.

Other efforts to reduce pedestrian accidents and fatalities include installing speed cameras that would monitor drivers and issue speeding citations automatically. A bill to accomplish this has stalled in Albany, and city officials have expressed their frustration.

Source: New York Times, “City Expands 20 M.P.H. Zones Across More Neighborhoods,” by Matt Flegenheimer, July 10, 2012.