Next Week: Vallone and Vacca Lead Council Hearing on Traffic Safety

Next Wednesday, February 15, is the date for Council Member Peter Vallone's hearing on traffic safety.

Responding to some 2,500 letters collected by Transportation Alternatives following the hit-and-run death of Brooklyn cyclist Mathieu Lefevre, Vallone announced that his public safety committee would address NYPD traffic enforcement. The hearing will be co-chaired by transportation committee chair James Vacca.

"It's encouraging that the two chairs are treating this as a public safety concern, and are taking a long look and showing leadership," says Juan Martinez, general counsel for TA.

In addition to crash prevention, Vallone and Vacca are expected to delve into how NYPD conducts crash investigations, an issue that is making headlines thanks to the Lefevre family's pursuit of information from the department about the crash that killed their son. Says Martinez, "They have serious questions about the line -- that in New York if you want to kill, do it with a car -- whether that's actually true."

Anyone who wants to testify at next week's hearing may send an e-mail to Martinez by the evening of Monday the 13th, with the subject line "Feb. 15."