Mayor Bill de Blasio has said he will call on the state to change the current law to allow speed cameras to operate around the clock as part of an enhanced Vision Zero plan. According to an NBC New York news report, the plan also promotes more public awareness campaigns as well as increased crackdowns on drunk driving. De Blasio has said these measures are essential to combat year-end traffic accident data, which shows that the coronavirus pandemic has led to excessive speeding on streets that are relatively emptier, and a result, deadlier car accidents.
Excessive Speeding and Reckless Driving
Three-quarters of traffic deaths in 2020 happened in times or places where no 
automated speed enforcement is permitted under current state law, the mayor said. More than one-third of non-highway deaths occurred in school-camera zones during hours of the day when the cameras could not issue tickets. Under current state law, cameras are limited to 750 school zones citywide.
They can only operate between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. weekdays. About 36% of all 2020 non-highway traffic fatalities occurred in school-camera zones during hours when the cameras couldn’t legally issue summonses. Also, city data shows speed cameras are a proven safety enhancement tool, de Blasio said. Statistics from the New York City Department of Transportation show speeding has been cut down by more than 70% at locations where these cameras are installed. Injuries are also down 17% at the same locations.
The total number of traffic accident deaths has increased significantly in 2020 especially among motorists and motorcyclists. NYPD officials say excessive speed and reckless driving have caused a significant number of these deadly crashes. The mayor’s office has installed 720 new speed cameras this year alone, more than have been installed in the previous six years combined.
In 2021, the Department of Transportation plans to continue installing these cameras at the rate of 60 per month, with the eventual goal of having 2,000 cameras in place by the end of next year. This would make the city’s speed camera program the largest in the nation. In addition to the speed camera option, de Blasio has said police will step up their holiday enforcement for speeding as well as for impaired drivers.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of car accidents can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in pedestrian accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident or pedestrian accident, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent (careless) driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Pedestrian accident victims and their families should remember that they may be able to seek compensation for injuries or losses in collisions even if the victim was not walking in a marked crosswalk and even if the driver involved in the collision was not charged. Our law firm recovered the full one million dollar insurance policy for a girl who was not in the crosswalk when a motor vehicle hit her.
For over 49 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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Source: https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nyc-calls-on-state-to-amend-speed-camera-laws-as-traffic-deaths-rise-in-2020/2795530/