Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycle Safety

DOT’s New Safety Ads: “Look” Doesn’t Flinch

DOT today announced a new slate of public service announcements for its "Look" cyclist safety campaign. As demonstrated in this TV ad, the spots are more graphic -- i.e. more realistic -- than the previous line-up (though those ads are currently running online as well), and are reminiscent of PSAs we've seen from abroad. Reads a DOT press release:

"We are doing everything we can to engineer safer streets, but we needto do even more to reach motorists behind the wheel, which thiscampaign does in a dramatic way," said Janette Sadik-Khan, DOTCommissioner. "Last year, some 3,000 bicyclists were injured in caraccidents citywide, and too many of these accidents occurred becausedrivers and riders simply weren't paying attention. While the number ofbicycle injuries continues to fall, there's still no substitute forsimple awareness and attention on the road."

We can't help pointing out that, as it stands, the crash that injured the victim depicted here probably would not even make the news. The driver, meanwhile, regardless of culpability (assuming drugs or alcohol were not involved), would most assuredly have been allowed to leave the scene in his or her car by now without so much as a summons. But maybe those are topics for another campaign.

The latest round of ads, available here for viewing and downloading, will run through June, and are accompanied by direct mail pieces for city homeowners and drivers license holders.

The "Look" program is a project of the New York City Bicycle Safety
Coalition, which includes DOT, the Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene, NYPD, the Taxi and Limousine
Commission, the Public Advocate's Office, Transportation Alternatives,
the Five Borough Bike Club, the New York City Bicycle Messenger's
Association and NY State AAA.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Fixing Third Ave. Was Once ‘Top of List’ For Eric Adams — But as Mayor He Backed Off

Mayor Adams has delayed a redesign of Brooklyn's Third Avenue despite once saying safety fixes there should be "at the top of our list."

July 17, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Jerry Nadler Edition

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler faced off with Sean Duffy on Capitol Hill. Plus more news.

July 17, 2025

Former NYPD Boss Says Deadly High Speed Chases Were Result Of ‘Rogue’ Adams Insiders

Former NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon alleged widespread corruption leading to a string of deadly high-speed chases.

July 16, 2025

Uncle Sam Wants to Fence Off a Lower Manhattan Plaza

A federally-funded police gate will lockdown a pedestrian plaza huddled between two federal courthouses in Manhattan.

July 16, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: Gonna Have to Pay for That Edition

We're going to need a lot more money to handle storms like the one we saw on Monday. Plus more news.

July 16, 2025

Appeals Court Halts Adams’s Impending Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane Demolition

The judge's ruling came just as the city was set to begin the bike lane demolition process Tuesday evening.

July 15, 2025
See all posts