Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bill de Blasio

De Blasio to Stand With Traffic Violence Victims Sunday, and So Can You

A thousand people turned out for a show of Vision Zero solidarity last July. Can NYC break that record on Sunday? Photo: @transalt
A thousand people turned out for a show of Vision Zero solidarity last July. Can NYC break that record on Sunday? Photo: @transalt
A thousand people turned out for a show of Vision Zero solidarity last July. Can NYC break that record on Sunday? Photo: @transalt

Sunday is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. In New York City, Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets will mark the occasion with a memorial walk from City Hall to the United Nations.

NYC has seen an unusual string of pedestrian fatalities concentrated in the last two weeks, but the carnage is steady year-round. City drivers kill someone walking or biking about every 36 hours, on average, and injure dozens of people a day.

Responding to an outcry from safe streets advocates, Mayor de Blasio is talking about Vision Zero to the press, and the NYPD is currently conducting a crackdown on reckless driving behaviors that pose the highest risk to pedestrians and cyclists. At the same time, a precinct in Queens is wasting enforcement resources by targeting victims of traffic violence, apparently at the urging of area electeds.

When questioned about the success of Vision Zero, de Blasio tends to cite data showing that fatalities and injuries are down compared to prior years. That’s not wrong, but it also doesn’t mean NYC is necessarily becoming a more humane place for people to walk and bike.

A Vision Zero city takes responsibility for street safety. It doesn’t blame seniors and children for their own deaths, or exonerate drivers before police complete crash investigations. Police brass don’t think of traffic enforcement like it’s some kind of pilot project. Citizens don’t have to beg DOT for street designs that prioritize life and limb over perceived motorist convenience. This morning on the radio de Blasio said Vision Zero has "just begun," but we're nearly two years into the 10-year timetable. Positive data notwithstanding, I doubt there are many people in the know outside the administration who would say Vision Zero is where it needs to be.

The mayor is scheduled to walk with victims, their families, and supporters on Sunday. That’s a big deal. Hopefully he'll continue to stand with them.

This weekend's event starts at noon at the City Hall Park fountain. Participants are asked to wear yellow to symbolize support for Vision Zero. More details here and here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

And the Winner Is…: Streetsblog’s New Video Team Honored with Deadline Club Award

Streetsblog's social media team, led by Engagement Editor Emily Lipstein, received the Deadline Club's award for digital video reporting on Thursday night.

Friday Video: The ‘Clear’ Benefits of Daylighting

The doyen of daylighting is back with a new video.

May 16, 2025

How One Anti-Gov’t Republican Signed onto a Street Safety Bill to Rein in Reckless Drivers

State Sen. Anthony Palumbo went from "government overreach" to reaching across the aisle in a single day.

May 16, 2025

‘All in the Family’: NYPD Commissioner and Power-Broker Mom Are Both Crusading Against E-Bikes

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has justified her criminal crackdown on cycling by saying that complaints about cyclists are the most frequent concerns she hears. Such complaints could be coming from inside the house.

May 16, 2025

Puddles Plague Hudson River Greenway As Rain Batters NYC

Greenway cyclists face dangerous conditions when it rains — as Streetsblog observed this week in Manhattan.

May 16, 2025
See all posts