News and Updates
Safest Year Yet on NYC Streets
January 27, 2010
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Department of Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announced in January that New York City traffic fatalities fell to an all-time record low in 2009. Last year, there were 256 traffic fatalities in New York City, 12 percent fewer than in 2008, and a 35 percent reduction compared to 2001. The previous record low was in 2007, with 274 fatalities. Traffic safety records have been kept in New York City since 1910. Since 2001, safety gains have been made across all categories: vehicle drivers and passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists and seniors, the population most vulnerable to traffic fatalities. The reductions in fatalities come as the City has instituted unprecedented safety improvements in street engineering and expanded NYPD enforcement of traffic laws across the five boroughs.
Read the press release for more details on the 2009 safety numbers
New Child Seat Laws for NY State
Effective November 24, 2009
Starting November 24, 2009 all children under the age of 8 must be restrained in an appropriate child restraint system while riding in a motor vehicle. Visit the New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee for detailed information on the new child seat law.
An appropriate child restraint system is one that meets the child's size and weight and the specifications of the manufacturer of such system. A child restraint system may be a child safety seat, harness, vest or a booster seat. The vehicle's safety belt alone is NOT a child restraint system.
Best practices for child restraint (car seat) systems is the use of belt-positioning boosters (high back or backless) for children who have outgrown car seats (generally at 40 lbs.) and who are not large enough for the vehicle safety belts alone. As of November 24, 2009, children must use booster seats until they are at least 8 years old (unless they are over 4 feet 9 inches tall).
Safe Streets Fund supports the work of the NYCDOT's Safety Education Unit to provide free car seats and trains technicians to install them. Within New York City you can call 311 to schedule a car-seat fitting at a Safety City location.
New York State Bans Driving While Texting
Effective November 1, 2009
The law prohibits all drivers from using portable electronic devices, such as cell phones and smart phones, to send text messages or e-mails while driving. The penalty for a violation of this law shall be a fine of up to $150. It is a secondary law, which means in order for a person to be ticketed for the offense, the driver must have committed a primary enforcement offense such as speeding, disobeying a traffic signal or other violation. This law will replace laws passed by other jurisdictions in NYS.
More information is available from NY State DMV and
the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee