Traffic Violence Claims Another Life as NYPD Announces Enforcement Blitz

2:05 PM EST on November 12, 2015

The pedestrian death toll stands at 13 since October 31. NYPD said a man hit by a driver in Queens last weekend died from his injuries Wednesday, according to Gothamist. Meanwhile, police announced a period of "focused enforcement" of the most dangerous driving violations.

Council Member Peter Koo is encouraging NYPD to waste enforcement resources that could be used to save lives.

On Sunday at around 5 p.m., a 70-year-old man driving a Honda minivan hit a 59-year-old man as the victim walked on College Point Boulevard at 41st Avenue in Flushing, Gothamist reported. No charges were filed.

The crash occurred in the 109th Precinct, where on Monday elected officials and the precinct’s commanding officer declared a crackdown on walking. Motorists have killed three pedestrians in the last five weeks in the 109th Precinct, which Gothamist says has issued fewer tickets for speeding and failure to yield in 2015 compared to last year.

NYC DOT’s 2010 pedestrian safety study analyzed records of 7,000 pedestrian-involved crashes and found that motorist behavior was the main factor in 78.5 percent of serious pedestrian injuries and fatalities. But after Monday's press conference, when Transportation Alternatives called on police and officials to concentrate on reckless driving and outdated street design, Council Member Peter Koo insisted that New Yorkers need to be told how to walk.

"We want to educate the public," said Koo, who according to DNAinfo initiated the meeting with the 109th Precinct, "they have to use the crosswalks to walk and they have to follow the streetlights."

Today NYPD announced the department has ramped up citywide enforcement of motorist violations including speeding, failure to yield, distracted driving, and double-parking. Through November 22, “the NYPD will increase officer hours and overtime dedicated to traffic enforcement,” according to a press release.

TA released a statement on the enforcement blitz:

Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD are sending an important message on Vision Zero traffic enforcement by dedicating more officers to the effort to deter the most dangerous violations: speeding, failure to yield and distracted driving. We are particularly encouraged to see that this initiative includes multiple NYPD bureaus and precincts. If traffic enforcement is to be effective and equitable, it must be data-driven and consistent across the five boroughs. We call on the NYPD to continue to target the most deadly violations after this focused enforcement period ends on November 22nd.

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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