VISION ZERO IN CRISIS: 2021 ON TRACK TO BE SECOND DEADLIEST YEAR IN DE BLASIO ERA
Transportation Alternatives and Families For Safe Streets Release Data Showing Record Number of Traffic Deaths During First Four Months of 2021 and Call Upon Mayor de Blasio, Albany, and Next Leaders in New York City to Deliver Solutions That Will Save Lives
Deadliest April citywide since Vision Zero began; Fatalities in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island also broke grim records
Data comes week after reckless drivers killed NYPD officer in Queens, delivery worker in Queens, and critically injured a school bus operator in Brooklyn
NEW YORK, NY — 2021 is on track to be the second deadliest year for traffic violence under Mayor de Blasio’s leadership, according to data released by Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets today. Through April 30, 70 New Yorkers have died in traffic violence, making the first four months of this year the deadliest first four months since 2014, when there were 72 fatalities by this point. Transportation Alternatives and Families for Safe Streets call upon Mayor de Blasio, New York State legislators in Albany, and those running for mayor to take concrete action to reverse this deadly trend and restore the promise of Vision Zero.
“For the third year in a row, traffic violence is increasing because of Mayor de Blasio’s inaction,” said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. “Since Mayor de Blasio took office, more than 1,000 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed on his streets – despite the City having both data about where crashes occur and the proven tools to address traffic violence. By withholding these tools, especially to communities most in need, Mayor de Blasio continues to prioritize the convenience of drivers over protecting human life. In his remaining time in office, he must put people, not cars, first on our streets, especially as New York City reopens. And, we urge those running to be the next mayor to advance bold plans to save Vision Zero and build streets for people.”
“We joined Mayor de Blasio in launching Vision Zero at the start of his administration. It tears at our hearts to see the number of traffic fatalities reaching new records seven years later. Behind each number is a fellow New Yorker, and a family like my own that will live the rest of their life with the deep pain of loss. It is past time for Mayor de Blasio to turn anguish into action and build our streets for safety. Legislators in Albany must do their part and pass the entire Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act, authorizing New York City to expand the speed safety camera program and lower the speed limit. We hope all those running for office in 2021 will stand with us in demanding an end to the deadly status quo on our streets,” said Amy Cohen, Co-Founder of Families for Safe Streets.
The Data:
More than 1,000 cyclists and pedestrians have been killed by drivers since Mayor de Blasio launched Vision Zero in 2014. This year, the numbers are especially alarming and reaching grim milestones:
OVERALL: Through April 30, 70 New Yorkers were killed in traffic violence, making the first four months of this year the deadliest first four months since 2014, when there were 72 fatalities by this point.
PEDESTRIANS: Through April 30, 43 pedestrians were killed in traffic violence, making the first four months of this year the deadliest first four months for pedestrians of any year since Mayor de Blasio took office.
APRIL: April 2021 was the deadliest April since Mayor de Blasio took office, with 25 people killed in fatal crashes citywide. In Manhattan, seven people were killed in fatal crashes in the month of April, another de Blasio-era record for the borough for the month of April.
BOROUGH-SPECIFIC: In Brooklyn and Staten Island, the number of fatalities during the first four months of the year also broke a de Blasio-era record, with 24 and seven fatalities respectively.
What Mayor de Blasio Must Do
The solutions to save lives on our streets are well known. What's left is for the Mayor to act. Mayor de Blasio controls the streets in New York City and has a responsibility to save the promise of his signature Vision Zero program. This duty includes fast-tracking the implementation of life-saving street redesigns on Queens Boulevard, Northern Boulevard, the Grand Concourse, Meeker Avenue, and other key corridors across the five boroughs. He must heed the recommendations of his own Surface Transportation Advisory Council, which he has ignored for almost a year. He must build permanent infrastructure that physically separates Open Streets from cars and creates more car-free spaces, as the the Open Streets Coalition has demanded. He must act to allocate funding for the Streets Master Plan, which requires the City to build 50 miles of protected bike lanes and 30 miles of bus lanes annually over five years, starting next year. There must be increases in dedicated City personnel, contractors, materials and supply chains to reach these goals. Mayor de Blasio cannot leave these critical responsibilities to his successor.
What Albany Must to Do
This session, the state legislature must pass the entire Crash Victim Rights and Safety Act: a package of eight life-saving bills that will bring about safer streets across New York State. Part of this package is Sammy’s Law, allowing New York City to lower the speed limit on its own streets. Additional legislation would set a lower blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and expand the City’s effective speed safety camera program across the five boroughs.
What Next Mayor Must Do
Our next mayor must combat the harm that cars inflict upon New Yorkers. She or he must put streets to better use than prioritizing the movement and storage of multi-ton vehicles. That is why over 160 local organizations have signed on to Transportation Alternatives’ NYC 25x25 challenge, calling on New York City’s next mayor to convert 25 percent of space for cars into space for people by 2025. Not only would this be a significant tool to reach Vision Zero, but it would help address air quality, climate change, economic inequality, racial and environmental injustice and New York City’s recovery. In the next administration, people must be prioritized over private vehicles.
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