DOT

DOT Launches Anti-Reckless Driving Campaign Featuring Families of Victims

DOT announced yesterday that it is launching an education campaign to combat reckless driving -- specifically speeding, distracted driving, and failure to yield to pedestrians. These three violations combined account for 40 percent of New Yorkers killed in car crashes, DOT says.

By Stephen Miller

11:30 AM EST on December 17, 2013

David Shephard's fiancée was killed by a reckless driver in the Bronx. Image: DOT — David Shephard’s fiancée Sonya Powell was killed by a reckless driver in a Bronx crosswalk. Images: DOT

DOT announced yesterday that it is launching an education campaign to combat reckless driving — specifically speeding, distracted driving, and failure to yield to pedestrians. These three violations combined account for 40 percent of New Yorkers killed in car crashes, DOT says.

The campaign, which will be on bus shelters, billboards, radio and social media, and will soon be accompanied by a campaign against drunk driving, features family members of those killed by reckless drivers. One ad features Audrey Anderson, whose son Andre, 14, was killed in 2005 while riding his bike on Shore Front Parkway in the Rockaways. Another ad shows David Shephard, whose fiancée Sonya Powell was killed in a Baychester Avenue crosswalk in 2009 by a speeding driver.

In 2012 alone, 34 people were killed by drivers not yielding the right of way, 48 were killed by distracted drivers, and 59 were killed by speeding drivers, DOT says.

In its release announcing the campaign, DOT noted that pedestrian fatalities are on the rise in recent years and singled out drivers who mount sidewalks as one of the reasons for the increase in fatalities. Researchers said last week at Elmhurst Hospital that they are also seeing an increase in sidewalk crashes.

Audrey Anderson's 14-year-old son Andre was killed by a motorist while riding his bike in 2005. — Audrey Anderson’s 14-year-old son Andre was killed by a motorist while riding his bike in 2005.

Stephen Miller

In spring 2017, Stephen wrote for Streetsblog USA, covering the livable streets movement and transportation policy developments around the nation. From August 2012 to October 2015, he was a reporter for Streetsblog NYC, covering livable streets and transportation issues in the city and the region. After joining Streetsblog, he covered the tail end of the Bloomberg administration and the launch of Citi Bike. Since then, he covered mayoral elections, the de Blasio administration's ongoing Vision Zero campaign, and New York City's ever-evolving street safety and livable streets movements.

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