Skip to main content

New York City sees reduction in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities

New York City has ended the first six months of 2017 with the fewest traffic fatalities ever measured, according to figures released by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Under the Vision Zero program, as of 30 June, the city had recorded 93 fatalities, the first time ever that fewer than 100 lives had been lost in such a period. The full fiscal year ending 30 June recorded 210 fatalities, 31 fewer than the prior fiscal year. The reductions come as the City is increasing traffic enforcement against dangerous violations
July 21, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
New York City has ended the first six months of 2017 with the fewest traffic fatalities ever measured, according to figures released by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Under the Vision Zero program, as of 30 June, the city had recorded 93 fatalities, the first time ever that fewer than 100 lives had been lost in such a period.  The full fiscal year ending 30 June recorded 210 fatalities, 31 fewer than the prior fiscal year. The reductions come as the City is increasing traffic enforcement against dangerous violations like speeding and redesigning a record number of streets to make them safer.

The Vision Zero highlights from the first six months of 2017 include declines in year over year traffic fatalities since 2016 in most modes, including among pedestrians, where 47 fatalities were recorded as of 30 June, compared to 63 fatalities in first six months of 2016.

Declines by borough have been largest in Queens, with 23 fatalities in 2017 compared to 32 in 2016, in Manhattan, with 20 in 2017 down from 26 in 2016 and on Staten Island, with five fatalities this year, down from 11 last year.

FY 2017, which concluded on 30 June, was also the City’s safest fiscal year since record-keeping began, with 31 fewer traffic deaths than FY 2016 and over 70 fewer, a 24 per cent decline from FY14, the year Vision Zero was launched.  In contrast, from 2014-2106, according to the 4953 National Safety Council, the country as a whole has seen a 14 percent increase in traffic fatalities.

UTC

Related Content

  • July 11, 2018
    Cost benefit: Toronto retimings tame traffic trauma
    Canada’s largest city reckons that it is saving its taxpayers’ money simply by altering the way traffic lights work. David Crawford reviews Toronto’s ambitious plans to ease congestion. Toronto, Canada’s largest metropolis (and the fourth largest in North America), has saved its residents CAN$53 (US$42.4) for every CAN$1 (US$0.80) spent over a 2012-2016 traffic signal retiming programme, according to figures released by its Transportation Services Division. The programme covered 1,275 signals (the city’s to
  • June 7, 2017
    New York mayor urged to consider tolling to reduce city congestion
    The de Blasio administration this week unveiled plans to tackle the New York's congestion crisis. Several of the new initiatives rely on enforcement, such as offences like the blocking of yellow boxes, blocking of bike and bus lanes and double parking. Other strategies revolve around managing curb space.
  • June 13, 2017
    Chicago mayor unveils Vision Zero Action Plan
    Chicago Mayor Emanuel has announced the city’s Vision Zero Chicago Action Plan, a multi-Agency approach which aims to improve traffic safety for all road users. The ultimate goal of Vision Zero is to reduce roadway crashes and eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries in Chicago by 2026. A dozen City departments and agencies have been working for months with traffic safety stakeholders to develop the Vision Zero Action plan, which covers the first three years of the effort and is based on the princi
  • October 19, 2016
    Results from Project EDWARD
    Results from the first European Day Without A Road Death (Project EDWARD) on 21 September have been published by TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network) and the European Commission. Project EDWARD took place in 31 countries and more than 103,000 organisations and individuals signed a road safety pledge on the website of the European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL). More than 80 road safety actions were organised across Europe, including information and awareness-raising activities in schools and com