After Albany wraps up the budget process, legislators will shift their focus to bills that have been awaiting action -- including a suite of legislation to address traffic safety issues.
Bills lowering the city's default speed limit to 20 mph, cracking down on unlicensed and hit-and-run drivers, requiring wheel guards on large trucks, and strengthening existing rules like Hayley and Diego’s Law are in play this year.
Yesterday, the Tri-State Transportation Campaign released a new tool that could help make the case for the street safety bills: A map of the more than 900 pedestrian fatalities across New York State from 2010 to 2012, sortable by State Senate and Assembly districts, as well as City Council districts and community board boundaries.
The information behind the map comes from the same federal data source Tri-State used for its report on the region's most dangerous streets. The group has created similar maps for New Jersey and Connecticut as well.
"With the information in these maps, elected officials can pinpoint the riskiest roadways for pedestrians in their districts," wrote Tri-State's Renata Silberblatt, "and advocate more effectively for increased pedestrian safety infrastructure funding."
Next Tuesday, representatives from Families for Safe Streets are traveling to Albany to speak with legislators. "This is a smaller day with just family members," said Amy Cohen, whose son Sammy was killed by a driver on Prospect Park West last October. "We are planning a large day with more families and supporters for early May."
