The last decade has seen an unsettling rise in pedestrian fatalities across the United States, reaching a staggering 40-year peak in 2022. However, amid these shocking increases, New York City stands as a bastion of pedestrian safety, experiencing historic lows in walker deaths.
The city's trend-bucking statistics exclude the year 2020, an anomaly given the pandemic-enforced lockdown. In stark contrast, the first half of 2023 has turned out to be the safest year for New York City pedestrians in documented history. Propelling this success is a robust blend of engineering, enforcement, and education, key tools in our fight against the national road safety crisis.
A massive $900 million investment in traffic safety by Mayor Adams' administration was crucial to these accomplishments. As commissioner for the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), I’ve been fervent in keeping up the momentum in reducing traffic fatalities.
Intersections, the zones posing the most risk to pedestrians, were declared "sacred spaces" when I assumed office in January 2022. Hundreds of intersections and roadways got aggressive makeovers, prioritizing pedestrian safety above all else. NYC DOT projects like Broadway Vision reshaped parts of Broadway from Union Square to Columbus Circle to be more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
A partnership with local residents even made it possible to remodel a 1.3-mile stretch of 34th Ave. in Jackson Heights, Queens. This pedestrian-centric safe space has now become a national model. Additionally, we've installed record-breaking numbers of raised crosswalks citywide to improve driver caution, pedestrian visibility, and accessibility.
Just last week, we unveiled bus-exclusive lanes on Northern Blvd. in Queens. Coupled with new bike lanes and other enhancements, these measures are designed to ensure pedestrian safety, even if cyclists aren't commonplace. Added features like Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPI) give pedestrians a "head start", significantly dropping pedestrian-associated accident rates.
Parking-protected bicycle lanes have had a striking impact: serious injuries and deaths have decreased by 29.2%, and the numbers are even more reassuring for our seniors, with a 39% reduction in fatal and serious incidents.
Public awareness campaigns have been launched to educate every New Yorker, regardless of age or identity, about street safety. Our NYC DOT Safety Education team has introduced successful initiatives such as “Cross This Way” and “We’re Walking Here.” Additionally, we are launching a campaign to raise awareness on safe usage of e-bikes and other electric vehicles.
A collaborative enforcement strategy with NYPD and automated speed camera enforcement have proven effective in curbing speed-related accidents. A 24-hour camera operation policy implemented in August 2022 has seen speeding violations decrease, contributing to the reduction in fatalities.
Although there are still hurdles ahead, we reversed the pandemic-related fatality increase in 2022 and have managed to reduce pedestrian deaths by almost 20% in the first seven months of 2023. It's clear that our strategies are working, even as we continue our work to make our streets ever safer for all those who live, play, and work in our communities.
