New Report Shows Alarming Rise in Drivers Running Red Lights, Urgent Need for Albany to Grant City of New York Home Rule Powers To Make Streets Safe
Never-Before-Seen Data Reveals Red Light Cameras Recorded the More Violations in 2021 Than Any Year Since 2014
Previous Twelve Months Have Been Deadliest Twelve-Month Period Since Vision Zero Began
Home Rule Over Streets Would Allow New York City to Set Safer Speed Limits and Use Automated Enforcement Programs Responsively to Prevent Speeding, Red-Light Running, and Bus Lane Blocking
NYC DOT Commissioner Rodriguez: We deserve to determine how we keep New Yorkers safe on our streets.
NEW YORK — While traffic violence has sharply increased in New York City, Albany restricts City officials from using life-saving red-light and speed safety cameras to respond to the crisis, according to a new report released today by Transportation Alternatives. The report, “Home Rule” Means Safe Streets — The Deadly Impact of Albany’s Control Over New York City Streets, shows the need for Albany to give New York City home rule over traffic safety to expand life-saving programs and curb reckless driving.
2021 was the deadliest year on New York City streets since 2013. And so far in 2022, traffic crashes have killed at least 42 people — a 58 percent increase over this point in 2021. The last twelve months have been the deadliest twelve-month period since Vision Zero began in 2014, and February 2022, with 23 fatalities, was the deadliest February in New York City since at least 2008 — the earliest date where public records are available.
Evidence of the crisis can be found in new data on red-light running. More red-light violations were recorded in 2021 than any year since 2014. As documented by red-light cameras throughout the five boroughs, red-light running increased by more than 50 percent from the last six months of 2019 to the last six months of 2021. The all-time monthly high, in June 2021, showed 60,638 red lights run, or an average of 2,000 red lights run every day at only the 150 monitored locations. Instead of responding to this crisis by expanding this program as dangerous driving increases, the City of New York is restricted by Albany from adding more automated red-light enforcement beyond 150 intersections — or 1 percent — of the more than 13,250 signalized intersections across the five boroughs. Despite these restrictions, red light cameras work. In 2019, t-bone crashes causing injuries fell as much as 58 percent at red-light camera locations, compared to a three-year period before New York City installed cameras.
“State lawmakers from hundreds of miles away shouldn’t be stopping us from saving lives on streets in the five boroughs. We are in a crisis of traffic violence and New York City must be able to use every tool available to save lives now,” said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “Giving us control over the speed limit, lifting the limits on speed safety cameras, and protecting more than just one percent of intersections with red-light cameras is necessary to get Vision Zero back on track. This year, we urge Albany to save lives by transferring authority over traffic safety to the City of New York.”
“Our automated enforcement programs save lives: data shows traffic injuries drop where we install these cameras,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “The DOT has proven for years that it can run the largest, most effective automated enforcement program in the nation and we deserve to determine how we keep New Yorkers safe on our streets.”
By transferring home rule powers to New York City over certain streets issues — something that Mayor Eric Adams and Gov. Kathy Hochul have expressed interest in and openness to — city officials could immediately allow speed safety cameras to operate 24/7, keep more bus lanes clear with automated enforcement cameras, and protect vulnerable street users at the 99 percent of intersections in the city without red-light cameras.
Additional Findings From the Report:
In non-highway crashes, nearly 40 percent of people killed in 2020 died in speed safety camera zones during hours when Albany requires the City of New York to switch the cameras off. Albany mandates that life-saving speed safety cameras are disabled for eight hours every night and 48 hours every weekend — more than half the hours in any given week.
New York City’s automated bus lane enforcement cameras are more effective than enforcement by police officers, catching 115 drivers who block bus lanes for each one caught by a police officer.
An Emerson College poll found that 68 percent of New York City voters support lowering the speed limit to 20 mph on residential streets near their homes, and 72 percent want the City to have authority to set its own speed limits. Speeding is a major factor in about 80 percent of crashes that kill people in cars in New York City
“There are 13,250 signalized intersections in New York City. A red-light camera program limited to only 150 locations is woefully inadequate. We have proven tools to save lives, we just need Albany to let New York City use them to their fullest potential. We need our leaders to help us prevent more heartbreak on our streets," said Sandra Voss, a Families for Safe Streets Member whose brother-in-law Charlie was killed in 2020 when he was hit by a driver while riding his bike.
“Transportation Alternatives’ new report shows us that red light cameras work. Sadly, the report also tells us the deadly consequences for New Yorkers when they are turned off. We’re just three months into 2022, and already too many people have died from traffic violence. I am sick and tired of going to funerals and vigils of children in my district who are victims of deadly crashes. New York City needs home-rule immediately to keep our sidewalks and intersections safe for all of us,” said Senator Andrew Gounardes.
"According to this new report from Transportation Alternatives, In June of 2021, motorists recklessly drove through 2,000 red lights a day, and that’s just counting the 1% of New York City intersections that have red light cameras. During what is already one of the deadliest years for vulnerable pedestrians and cyclists, we need to do more to make our streets safer. NYC must have the ability to expand this program, the same way NYC must be able to lower speed limits or run speed cameras on nights and weekends. I’m proud to stand with Transportation Alternatives in the fight to give New York City local control over our streets," said Senator Brad Hoylman.
"As a state legislator, we have many important powers and responsibilities in Albany—setting speed limits and preventing safety measures on New York City's streets shouldn't be among them,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher. “With 'home rule,' NYC's Department of Transportation can move much more aggressively to stem this unacceptable wave of traffic violence and bring an end to these needless tragedies on our streets. Let's pass the Crash Victims Rights & Safety Act—and then get out of New York City's way."
"Every traffic crash that kills a New Yorker because of inaction by our state legislature is a failure of leadership and the reason we were elected, which is to take care of our neighbors. My district has Northern Boulevard and we have lost lives because of speeding. It must stop. The publication of this report by Transportation Alternatives puts into print what many of us have known for some time: Albany must act with urgency to make streets safer. I urge our legislature and Governor to give New York City home rule over traffic safety so we can increase the number of speed safety cameras," said Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas
“It is confounding that we have solutions to prevent traffic crashes and deaths, and that we are not implementing them. The school speed camera program and the red light program reduce speeding and injuries in those locations, and yet the programs are extremely limited in their scope of operation. With a huge jump in drivers running red lights and traffic fatalities this year, the State should allow New York City to operate the programs so they can expand them and keep people safe. Thanks to Transportation Alternatives for their new report and for fighting for commonsense street safety measures,” said Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon.
“Running red lights kills. We need to do everything we can to keep New Yorkers safe from traffic violence, including expanding the red light camera program. I look forward to working with my colleagues in government, advocates, and community members to get more of these life-saving measures in my district and across New York,” said Council Member Erik Bottcher.
"Home rule for transit policy is desperately needed in NYC,” said Council Member Rita Joseph. “By transferring home rule powers for street issues to NYC, my colleagues and I in local government would be empowered to enact common-sense policy reforms such as allowing speed safety cameras to operate 24/7, keep more bus lanes clear with automated enforcement cameras, and add red-light cameras to intersections where they are needed."
"Our city has seen a devastating trend of increases in traffic deaths over the past few years and so far 2022 is on pace to be even worse," said City Council Member Julie Menin. "I wholeheartedly support home rule for New York City on traffic issues so we can expand our red light camera program and make it more effective. Red light cameras and other initiatives such as intersection redesigns are both critical steps in helping to make our city’s streets safer and stem this crisis of traffic violence."
"New York City must be empowered to protect its streets. Traffic violence is too pervasive to be ignored and we can't let lawmakers upstate determine our safety. We know red-light cameras work in curbing reckless driving, and today, we are demanding Albany allow New York City to save lives and make our streets safe," said Council Member Lincoln Restler.
“The data shared in this new report is shocking, and our next steps could not be more clear. New York City has different traffic enforcement needs than the rest of the State, and a one-size-fits-all approach is not sufficient to keep New Yorkers safe,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera. “Our streets belong to all of us, and it is imperative that we are equipped to set speed limits and implement automated enforcement programs citywide. I urge our colleagues in Albany to join us in the effort to secure Home Rule over streets in New York City so that we can be successful in upholding the promises made through Vision Zero.”
"Bus lanes are only as transformative for riders as they are enforced against drivers," said Riders Alliance Senior Organizer Jolyse Race. "With critical projects like Main Street and Archer Avenue now in effect and 150 miles of new bus lanes promised in the next four years, millions of riders depend on cameras to speed up the slowest buses in the United States. Automated enforcement is unbiased, never tickets based on pretext, and has proven results over and over when police officers have other priorities. At such a dangerous moment for pedestrians and a turning point for bus riders — all of whom are also pedestrians — New Yorkers are counting on our state leaders to give City officials the power they need to make our streets safe and fair."
“Safe streets, pedestrian crossings, and sidewalks are critical for people with disabilities who have limited mobility, sight, hearing, and cognition. New York Lawyers for the Public Interest calls on the City to enforce traffic laws, in particular by ensuring that express lanes are available for paratransit vans, curb cuts are not obstructed by illegally parked vehicles, and sidewalks are kept free of snow, debris, and obtrusive sidewalk furniture,” said Eman Rimawi-Doster, Access-A-Ride Campaign Coordinator and Organizer with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest.
“It’s long past time that New York City is given the right to set our own speed limit and manage our camera-based enforcement. For too long, New York has been subject to the whims of legislators who don’t even live here. This is a common sense solution to a long-standing problem and it’s time for Albany to act and let us make our streets safe and livable for everyone,” said Sara Lind, Policy Director at Open Plans.
###