NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Traffic deaths in New York City are up a whopping 44% in the first quarter of 2022, according to a new report from Transportation Alternatives.
“From children in Queens to seniors in Brooklyn, too many New Yorkers are killed simply waiting for the bus or crossing the street, and the numbers are only increasing,” said Transportation Alternatives Director Danny Harris. “Our leaders must take steps immediately to save New Yorkers and prevent this year from turning into another record-breaking year for traffic fatalities.”
Queens and Manhattan saw the biggest increases in death, with Queens rising 125% and Manhattan rising 120% since the same time period in 2021.
Transportation Alternatives is a non-profit with a mission "to reclaim New York City’s streets from the automobile and to advocate for better walking, biking and public transit for all New Yorkers."
So far, this year has been the bloodiest for pedestrians since former Mayor Bill de Blasio implemented the Vision Zero street safety program in 2014, with 29 of the 59 traffic deaths being pedestrians.
Vision Zero is a program that dozens of other cities have used to successfully reduce traffic deaths. It involves reducing speed limits and redesigning streets to make travel safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
New York City has been slow to implement the street redesigns though, and the data from 2022 represents a step backward for the program.
Harris endorsed City Council’s call on Mayor Eric Adams to provide $3.1 billion in the 2023 budget for street redesigns.
The council is currently negotiating the budget with Adams.
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