Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
State Legislature

Life-Saving Speed Cams Find an Enemy in New York AAA

Legislation to bring automated speed enforcement to the city is drawing fire from the New York branch of AAA.

Speed cameras have proven to be effective in clamping down on highly dangerous behavior. A pedestrian hit by a driver obeying the city's 30 mph speed limit has about a 45 percent chance of dying, while at 40 mph the likelihood of death jumps to between 70 and 85 percent.

Nearly forty percent of city drivers observed for a 2009 Transportation Alternatives report were found to be speeding. Another 2009 TA study revealed that while the number of traffic fatalities caused by speeding rose by 11 percent between 2001 and 2006, the number of summonses issued for speeding dropped 22 percent during the same period.

Due to the sheer volume of speeders and thanklessness of manual enforcement, cameras offer an efficient solution. What's more, speed cameras are popular. The current bill, sponsored by Assembly Member Deborah Glick and Senator Tom Duane, is supported by NYC DOT, NYPD, Manhattan Community Board 2, and even drivers informally polled by the Post and CBS 2 (data from actual polls indicate acceptance among motorists as well). The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also favors automated speed enforcement.

But in the eyes of AAA spokesperson Robert Sinclair, speed cameras are merely a way to relieve police of their duty while relieving drivers of cash.

“It’s sort of ceding responsibility that a police officer should have for removing a truly reckless speeder off the road and giving it to a camera that does nothing to take that reckless speeder off the road,” he said.

Sinclair also said he had suspicions about the city’s motivation for the proposed move.

“It’s curious that the timing of this would come up now when we’re facing fiscal difficulties,” Sinclair said, “[AAA] sees this only as revenue enhancement opportunity.”

Someone should really explain to Sinclair that speed cameras are not just a punitive measure targeted at individual drivers, but a deterrent against a practice that is as commonplace as it is deadly. By getting behind a measure that enjoys broad appeal, AAA would also be protecting its own members, in addition to making streets safer for car-free New Yorkers.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Preventable’: Hit-and-Run Driver Kills Two on Third. Ave Corridor Eric Adams Refuses to Make Safer

A motorist struck and killed two men on a strip where Mayor Adams recently shelved a safety redesign amid a backlash from local business interests.

July 11, 2025

Why No BRT For NYC? Two New Reports Tackle Why Your Bus Service Sucks

Years of bus priority projects barely made a dent in speeds because Big Apple leaders won't install real bus rapid transit, two recent reports argue.

July 11, 2025

Citi Bike Riders Are Pissed About Eric Adams’s 15 MPH Speed Limit

Citi Bike's new 15 mph max speed limit is a bad deal for riders and a potential threat to safety, riders said.

July 11, 2025

Friday Video: Cyclists, Check Out Your Next City

Streetfilms' Clarence Eckerson visited London earlier this summer to check in on the Big Smoke's cycling revolution.

July 11, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

We've got one more workday before we can hit the beach. Plus the news.

July 11, 2025

Council To Close Instacart Loophole, Pass Delivery Industry Regulation Bills

The City Council will vote on Monday to close the "Instacart loophole" and force all app companies to pay workers a minimum wage.

July 10, 2025
See all posts