Do you feel that drivers drive too fast through your neighborhood, creating hazardous conditions for you and your neighbors? If so, the New York Department of Transportation (NYDOT) has a program that may be able to help. Called "Neighborhood Slow Zones", this program allows neighborhoods to apply for construction of traffic calming devices within a neighborhood that force drivers to slow down.

Neighborhood slow zones are established in small, self contained neighborhoods and they force drivers to slow down through the use of speed bumps, signs and other traffic calming devices. To apply as a Neighborhood Slow Zone, residents must fill out an application available at the NYDOT website. The neighborhood must be small, self contained, (approximately one-quarter square mile in area) and can't contain any major thoroughfares or commercial and industrial zones. The application must be submitted by a neighborhood board, community association, or business coalition. The application must be endorsed by civic or business leaders within the community. If the application is approved, NYDOT will work together with community leaders to design the most effective means of traffic calming for the neighborhood.

There is a deadline for the application so neighborhood organizations that wish to apply must do so by February 3rd, 2012. Once the application is received, NYDOT will conduct a review during the month of February and those neighborhoods which are approved will learn of the approval in March.

For more information, visit the NYDOT website at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/about/slowzones.shtml

Labels: traffic safety, vehicle safety

For those with long commutes to work and back and those who drive very little, the driving situation during the holidays can be a nightmarish situation. The holiday season is supposed to be about peace on earth and kindness to others but it seems that, once drivers get caught up in the holiday shopping rush, all of that goes out the window and it is every man for himself. To help you cope with the holiday driving situation and keep you safe on the road, here are a few reminders.

Planning – High gasoline prices have led many to consolidate trips to save money. That is also a good tip for the holiday season:

• Create and try to stick to a shopping list for everyone on your gift giving list. You'll spend less time and money if you know exactly what you are after. Try to avoid browsing that will lead to impulse buying and keep you out longer.
• Shopping online can help you avoid going out into traffic. You can also order items online for pick-up at your local store so you can do a quick in –pickup – and out.
• Try to get all your shopping done in one or two days; that way you can relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday season.
• Shop early! Retailers are trying to lure customers with early sales so they aren't stuck with a left over inventory.
• Plan on being stuck in traffic and allow yourself plenty of extra time. That way, you won't be tempted to take chances behind the wheel and you won't be as frustrated.

Dealing with other drivers – The frenetic pace of the holiday season seems to bring out the worst in some drivers. Don't let a "Grinch" driver get to you.

• It seems as if no other time of the year results in as many clogged intersections. When drivers pull out into a clogged intersection and the light changes, everyone is stuck. If you can't clear the intersection, remain behind the white stop line until the traffic ahead moves enough that you can get all the way across. Remember, if you are stuck in the intersection when the light changes, you could get an automatic ticket from a red light camera.
• Remember that you can't take the right-of-way; you can only give it up to another driver. If someone tries to hog the right-of-way, give it to them. Fighting for the right-of-way or a parking spot isn't worth the possibility of a collision or a road rage incident.
• Don't try to retaliate against another driver by yelling, making gestures, or honking your horn. That type of behavior could tip someone over the edge into a road rage situation.
• Remember the F.I.D.O. principle. Forget It and Drive On. There is nothing you can do to change another driver's behavior. Just let it go and keep out of their way.

Pedestrians – There will be a lot of pedestrians in parking lots and on the roads at this time of year.

• Remember that pedestrians always have the right-of-way.
• Small children are excited and even more impulsive at this time of year. Anticipate that they may run out into traffic.
• Pedestrians may be bundled up against the cold. Hats, mufflers and scarves may interfere with vision and hearing. Count on pedestrians not noticing your approach.

Distractions – As if the driving situation isn't bad enough during the holiday season, distracted drivers make it worse.

• It is understood that you are in a rush, but try to avoid eating in the car while driving. Trying to eat and drink distracts us from the very important job of watching the road ahead. Giving yourself time to eat in a restaurant will allow you to relax and calm down before going back out into traffic.
• Put the cell phone away! Don't try to use your cell phone and especially don't text unless you are pulled safely off the road. Cell phone users tend to slow traffic and you don’t want to add to the congestion.

Have a happy and, above all, a safe holiday season with your loved ones.

To learn more about driver safety and education please visit our Driver Safety Alerts at http://www.nationalsafetycommission.com.

Labels: holiday safety, pedestrian safety, right-of-way, traffic collisions, traffic safety

In reaction to the data released earlier in February, the city of New York has implemented the “TrafficStat” bill (http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=777873&GUID=8FA0E3F4-FA01-4206-9677-AB27E2F07FE9&Options=&Search= ), which means that the city will be gathering data on incidents involving traffic, cyclists and pedestrians.

Though the whole state is considered the safest to drive in, they feel that something could still be done with the numbers involving cyclists and pedestrians. TrafficStat is only one in three new traffic safety bills approved by the City Council, meaning that New York residents still have more to look forward to in terms of safety on the road.

One of the other bills focuses on requiring the NYPD to create monthly reports on traffic accidents, to be able to pinpoint problem areas.

Having big developments like these turn into news may only inspire hope that other states follow --- to have their traffic safety efforts become more visible to ease the public.

Labels: bicycle safety, driver safety, pedestrian safety, pedestrian traffic, traffic safety

In an effort to curb the number of speeders in New York, new LED signs have been deployed in key areas in New York to show drivers that they are going too fast. Upon first inspection, the speed boards normally display the sign for the speed limit, featuring a figure.

When the sign detects a speeding car however, the figure in the sign changes into a skeleton and the words, "Slow Down."

This is in-line with what the campaign that the DOT introduced earlier, which is “That’s Why It’s 30.” The campaign is focused on spreading awareness that a person struck at 30 mph will have an 80% chance of survival compared to a person struck at 40 mph, which will have only a 30% chance of survival.



This is only one of the steps being taken by New York to curb the number of speeders on the road, along with this is the introduction of “Slow zones,” which imposes a 20 mph speed limit on certain parts of New York.

This is also part of a bigger (global, really) effort to raise traffic safety awareness. A year ago, the U.N. General Assembly declared 2011 – 2020 the Decade of Action for Road Safety. With the opening of the first “slow zone” last week, Mayor Bloomberg was joined by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan to inform people of their intention of keeping motorists and pedestrians safe for the next decade.

For more information on driver safety and defensive driving tips please visit NewYorkDefensiveDrivingNow.com.

Labels: driver safety, pedestrian safety, pedestrian traffic, speed limit, traffic safety

Another proof on how NYC has its driving safety priorities right: though traffic fatalities increased in 2010, that number is still half the national average, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. According to 2010 data released just last Monday, New York City is still the safest big city in the country.

Traffic fatalities for 2010 was 269, compared to 258 for 2009, which is still a low number, considering the size of New York City. The increase could be attributed to motorcycle accidents, whose fatalities grew from 29 to 39 from 2009 to 2010, respectively. Another factor would be bicycle accidents, although to note, pedestrian fatalities are still on the decline.

Now that the NYC DOT knows this, they can increase overall defensive driving and driving safety for 2011 by focusing on these areas. Another thing they are looking at is that most of the fatalities were caused by drivers who were speeding. In an effort to lessen fatalities, they are conceiving public awareness campaigns encouraging residents to drive slower. They are also looking into key problem areas, and finding solutions to them.

As these steps are taken, one can only look forward to next year, and how these changes will affect the numbers by then.

For more traffic safety information please visit www.NationalSafetyCommission.com

Labels: motorcycle safety, pedestrian safety, Traffic fatalities, traffic safety

The 2010 Holiday Season is in full swing and the 2010 Holiday Traffic Plan is getting underway as well. The NYC DOT partnered with the NYPD and other agencies to develop this year’s plan which identifies Gridlock Alert Days, Traffic Management Initiatives, and Increased Enforcement Initiatives. Below, are some of the major highlights from the 2010 Holiday Traffic Plan.

Gridlock Alert Days

City officials designated several dates when an anticipated surge in traffic is expected. On the following dates, people are advised to use mass transit whenever possible:

• Friday, December 10


• Wednesday, December 15


• Thursday, December 16


• Friday, December 17


• Wednesday, December 22


• Thursday, December 23

Traffic Management Initiatives

• Restricted access to major bridges, tunnels, roadways and streets
  
• Expanded Use of DOT Traffic Monitoring Cameras
  
• Turn Restrictions – To alleviate congestion around Rockefeller Center there are planned temporary turn restrictions on 5th Avenue at 55th, 53rd, 51st, and 47th streets.
  
• 511NY – 511NY is a program that was recently launched by the New York State DOT. It is a new service offering free information on transportation services and traffic conditions throughout New York State. Users can obtain information by dialing 511 or visiting the website at www.511ny.org. This service provides relevant information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  

Increased Enforcement Initiatives

• Holiday Construction Embargo – A construction embargo is in place through 11:59 pm on Sunday January 2, 2011. This embargo will be strictly enforced. The locations and conditions of the embargo are available at the NYC DOT web site.


• Operation Safe Streets – From November 29 – December 29 the NYPD will increase enforcement in an effort to reduce accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Their goal is to make 2010 the safest holiday season ever. The increased enforcement will be concentrated in midtown and other key areas across the city. The NYPD will primarily focus on the following vehicular violations: driving while intoxicated, speeding, disobeying traffic signals, improper turns, and seatbelt violations. Additionally, the NYPD will place a special focus on taxis.


• Operation Move-Along – Addresses the traffic problems caused by double parking and unauthorized parking. There will be a zero tolerance policy towards existing curbside parking rules and regulations. The NYPD will place a special focus on major transportation hub and violators will be summoned, towed or booted.

Read more Holiday Shopping Safety Tips from the National Safety Commission.

Labels: driver safety tips, holiday safety, new york driving laws, parking regulations, traffic safety

Each year, just in time for the influx of motorists traveling for Memorial Day Weekend more than 500 police agencies around New York State come to together to remind New York drivers to "Click It or Ticket". The annual, Buckle Up New York campaign begins Monday May, 24 reminding all New Yorkers to buckle up every time they get behind the wheel. The campaign runs for approximately two weeks and ends on Sunday, June 6. There will be safety restraint checkpoints set up throughout the state helping to enforce New York’s mandatory safety restraint law.

Safety restraint citations will be issued to those motorists caught without their seat belts on during these checkpoints. However, it’s important to remember that wearing a seat belt is not about avoiding a citation. Wearing a seat belt is about saving a life. This goal of this initiative is help put an end to the fatalities that could have been prevented if people would have taken the two or three seconds to fasten their seatbelts when they got into their vehicles.

In 1984, New York State became the first state to enact a mandatory safety restraint law. The law helped improve seat belt use statewide. Only 12 percent of people used their seat belts in 1984. By, 1998 74 percent of people used them. Although that may seem like a huge increase, most of it occurred in the 1980’s. By the late 1990’s the growth of seat belt use had become stagnate. Law enforcement officials needed a way to combat the number one cause of death on New York’s highways.

In May, 1999 just in time for the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend, New York State Police kicked off a campaign called “Buckle up New York” designed to increase the use of safety restraints to 85 percent by the end of the year 2000. Currently, New York has a seatbelt compliance rate of about 89 percent, which is above the national average of 83 percent. With the exception of New York City, the state boasts a compliance rate of over 90 percent.

During the 2009 Memorial Day Weekend Buckle up New York initiative 22,059 safety restraint citations were issued at over 137 checkpoints through the state. The New York State Police investigated 15 fatal crashes during the same time period. After the investigations, it was concluded that eight of those fatalities could have been avoided if they had been wearing their seatbelts.

Labels: driver education, driver safety, seatbelt laws, traffic safety

Attention all New York drivers, please give yourselves a pat on the back. Traffic fatalities in New York City fell to an all-time record low in 2009!

There were 256 traffic fatalities in New York City last year, 12 percent fewer than in 2008. Traffic fatalities are not only declining in New York City, they are declining across the state as well. New York's 2009 Highway Safety Annual Report reported a 46 percent decline in traffic fatalities over a 10 year period. In 1998, there were 2,263 traffic fatalities recorded in New York State. By 2008, that number had fallen to 1,224. Let's see how New York compares to the rest of the U.S.

Across the nation, traffic fatalities are declining as well. In March, the U.S. DOT announced that the number of reported traffic fatalities at the end of 2009 were the lowest they had been since 1954. It also marked a decline in traffic fatalities for the 15th straight quarter. The preliminary statistics for 2009 portray an 8.99 percent decrease over 2008. In actual numbers, there were 33,963 traffic fatalities counted in 2009 compared to 37,261 in 2008.

Nationwide, the decline in traffic fatalities can be partially attributed to the economy. In 2009, drivers were driving much less than they had been in previous years. As economic conditions improve drivers will begin to drive more and it may be difficult to sustain these levels of traffic fatalities. However, it isn't impossible to maintain. If drivers remain focused with their eyes on the road, their hands on the wheel, and their cell phones put away these levels will be more easily maintained. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately 6,000 deaths in 2008 resulted from crashes caused by a distracted driver.

In New York City, the 35 percent decrease in traffic fatalities can also be attributed to the safety advances made in numerous categories: vehicle drivers and passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and seniors. As a demographic, seniors are most vulnerable to traffic fatalities. The DOT plans to reduce traffic fatalities 50 percent by 2030. To accomplish this, 2010 will bring the launch of new safety initiatives and the expansion of current ones. Some examples of the initiatives for 2010 include: tripling the number of reduced-speed zones around school, launching new anti-drunk-driving and anti-speeding campaigns, and continued working to engineer safer streets for children, seniors and anyone else using the city streets.

Summer is approaching quickly which means that more and more people will be hitting the highways for summer vacation road trips. Even though traffic fatalities are declining its important that drivers never feel complacent behind the wheel. Highways are still dangerous places and drivers should always beware of possible hazards. A NY defensive driving course can be helpful to improve your basic driver knowledge, so truly understand defensive driving concepts and roadway survival techniques.

Labels: driver safety, new york defensive driving, traffic safety

New York City has become increasing safe for drivers in recent years. Only 256 traffic related deaths occurred in 2009, the lowest in city history. Approximately 10 percent of these deaths were caused by drunk drivers. While, lower than the national average of 32 percent, New York City officials find these statistics unacceptable.

New York City Department of Transportation knew that improving these statistics would take a different approach, than the drinking and driving campaign that had been running almost continuously since it was developed in 1983. This new program celebrates the cities designated drivers. Janette Sadik-Kahn, NYCDOT commissioner, explained that there are over 100,000 designated drivers in NYC. Taxi and livery car drives, bus drivers and train operators help to comprise this total. In spite of the abundance of designated drivers, "People will still drink and drive," explained Sadik-Kahn. "So, what we are trying to do is to really focus on celebrating each and every designated driver in the city."

The first-segment of the campaign is aimed at the demographic most likely to get behind the wheel impaired, males between 21 and 39 years of age. The major challenge in getting the message across is that, this particular demographic is also least likely to listen to or respond to a public service announcement. The slogan "You the Man" was derived to reward or celebrate the designated driver as opposed to punishing the drunk the driver. The NYCDOT said test results were positive for the slogan across racial and socioeconomic lines.

The Director of Strategic Communication, Dani Simons wanted to create a program that removed the barrier for people to drink and drive. Simons determined some of the reasons people drink and drive in New York City are to avoid waiting an hour a bus, the changes in weekend subway services, and to prevent walking around a possibly dangerous neighborhood late at night. One campaign objective was to find a way to combat these reasons. "You the Mans" find a ride feature does exactly that. The feature, enables anyone with a smart phone to type in their zip code and find the number of the nearest car service.

They took a different approach in the advertising for the campaign as well. They aligned drink and driving with embarrassing, regrettable drunken behavior. For example, many drivers can't relate to the consequences of drinking and driving. But, they can relate to waking up in the morning and being embarrassed over a drunken phone call or text message they sent. Who wouldn't want to have a sober friend around who could be the designated phone monitor? He would be the hero, or "the man" simply by preventing an action that would later be regrettable. The designated driver is viewed the same way. He's "the man" because he is preventing behavior that would be later be embarrassing and regrettable (never mind dangerous and possibly life-altering).

There is a Facebook page set up for the campaign, as well as a website (http://youthemannyc.org/) video portraying the designated driver as the hero of a successful night out. They are also running internet ads on Evite, Club Planet and Google searches for bars and clubs. Additionally, there are ads running on local radio stations Thursday through Saturday from 5-9pm.

The campaign kicked off Super Bowl Weekend. One of the sponsors of the campaign is Heineken. Heineken teamed up with the NYCDOT to promote the campaign by designing coasters and distributing them to bars. One side of the coaster read, "You the Man" the other side read, "Be the man. Be the designated driver." This is an extremely targeted campaign to reach the targeted demographic where they live. The entire campaign is being executed with a budget of less than $1 million.

Labels: driver safety, drunk driving, traffic safety

April 19, 2010 marked the beginning of National Work Zone Awareness Week. It was also the day the New York Department of Transportation (DOT) launched a new PR campaign and a push for state legislators to implement penalties for drivers who jeopardize road worker's safety.

Nationwide, 720 work zone fatalities were reported in 2008. Motorists accounted for 80 percent of the deaths. While 720 people may not seem like a lot, over 40,000 people are injured in work zone accident each year. In the last 20 years, six employees of the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) have been killed in work zones. Since 1995, 40 NYCDOT employees have been injured. The most recent injury occurred April 8 in Chelsea when an NYCDOT employee was struck in a hit-and-run. The road worker's injuries were not life-threatening in this case.

At an event held in Batter Park April 19, the NYCDOT Commissioner, the Federal Highway Administrator, and the state DOT Acting Commissioner dedicated a memorial to the road worker's who have lost their lives in work related accidents. They also unveiled the print and radio ads that are part of the new PR campaign. The ads feature New Yorkers who have lost loved ones in work zone crashes. One black and white ad features the picture of a road worker's widow with the text, "My husband left early for work one night. A speeding driver crashed through his work zone and Nicky never came home."

This may come as a surprise, there is no current law against driver's entering a work zone. Officials are urging Albany legislatures to change this. Two legislators from Staten Island, state Senator Diane Savino and Assembly Member Michael Cusick are sponsoring bills that would make driving into an active work zone a punishable offense. The current bill proposes that those convicted would be subject to up to a $500 fine and/or up to three months behind bars. If passed, the legislation would make it possible to charge drivers with vehicular assault and vehicular manslaughter in the first and second degree for crashes that occur in active work zones. Cusick said, he hopes the legislation, "Will make accidents like this a thing of the past by creating more severe penalties for this type of inexcusable carelessness."

New Yorkers walk and bike around active work zones everyday. So, these laws are also about making local streets a safer place. If someone drives through an active work zone they can just as easily strike a bystander as they could a road worker. Since it helps protect all road users any progress in road worker safety laws will be considered progress in what was proposed by the Hayley Ng and Diego Martinez Law.

The Hayley Ng and Diego Martinez Law is named for two preschoolers killed in January 2009. The children were struck by an unattended van that was left idling in Chinatown. This law proposes the creation a careless driving offense. The offense would carry penalties of up to a $750 fine and up to 15 days in jail. Anyone who injures a vulnerable street user would be charged with careless driving. The purpose of the careless driving offense is to create an offense to be used when vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter cannot be used.

Labels: careless driving, driver safety, road worker safety, speeding, traffic safety