TRAFFIC

Officials call to make NYC streets safer following rise in accidents

Saturday, May 7, 2022

Officials call to make New York City streets safer following rise in accidents

Officials are calling to make New York City streets safer after a rise in traffic accidents.

NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- It is a scene that has been seen too many times - one of them taking place in Sunset Park on Friday afternoon. A 55-year-old on a scooter was fatally hit by a van. The driver stayed on the scene.

Hours earlier -- on Friday morning in Queens, a man was hit by a car. He is now in the hospital fighting for his life, while the driver is on the run.

"I'm going to go back to Albany and state those who create an accident and flee the scene, many times -- they have suspended license, under the influence, reckless drivers. we need to treat them with the level of severity that is needed," said Mayor Eric Adams.

Adams is coming down hard - as experts say traffic accidents have increased significantly.

"We have an unprecedented crisis of traffic violence on our streets - this has been growing for four years," said Danny Harris of Transportation Alternatives.

Harris is now highlighting the problem of people being injured or dying on the streets. He says the city needs wider sidewalks, more protected bike lanes, lower speed limits, and more mindful drivers that could have prevented the fatal car crash on the FDR earlier this week.

City officials say dangerous driving and speeding increased with the pandemic, as well as the increase in food delivery workers on the streets.

Now, Mayor Adams is vowing to target reckless street behaviors by allotting more money in the Vision Zero program - an initiative to prevent accidents through enforcement and education.

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