Mayor, DOT push to expand school zone speed camera enforcement

The DOT says the rise in speeding and reckless driving has been fueled by less traffic during the pandemic.

News 12 Staff

Dec 23, 2020, 3:35 AM

Updated 1,445 days ago

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Mayor Bill de Blasio and city Department of Transportation are trying to change a state law to allow more speed camera enforcement in school zones after the department says there's been a rise in speeding and reckless driving.
The DOT says the rise in speeding and reckless driving has been fueled by less traffic during the pandemic.
Currently, school speed cameras operate only between the hours of 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and only on weekdays. The mayor and the DOT want to have the cameras work 24/7 to improve speed compliance.
The goal is to help keep drivers accountable and crack down on repeat offenders who are speeding or driving recklessly in school zones.
According to Vision Zero, pedestrian fatalities are at an all-time low, but the rate of total traffic-related deaths has risen. NYPD collision reports often say speed was a contributing factor in those crashes.
The NYPD is also launching their annual holiday traffic enforcement campaign, which includes cracking down on intoxicated drivers on highways and local streets.
This year will be the sixth safest on record for traffic-related deaths.