Police report: walking through the streets of New York is becoming more dangerous

The security program on the streets of New York, signed by Mayor Bill de Blazio, failed in 2019. And this is after many years of reducing the number of road accidents.

NEW YORK — JULY 21: Yellow taxis rides on 5th Avenue on July 21 2012 in New York, USA. 5th Avenue is a central road of Manhattan, the most expensive shops and apartments located here

The number of deaths on city streets this year for the first time increases in the era of the Vision Zero program. The largest increase in accidents leading to pedestrian deaths is observed in areas such as the northern part of Queens and southern Brooklyn. In addition, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of injuries to cyclists and the total number of fatalities from accidents.

According to the latest police reports, in New York, 28 people died in New York from the beginning of the year to April 65. This is an 30 percent increase compared to 50 road fatalities recorded during this period last year. On average, in 2019, one person died every two days on the streets of New York.

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“When I ride a bike, there are three benefits: free transport, exercise and no carbon emissions. It's three in one. The only downside is that I might get killed,” said Jacob Willett, an artist from Chelsea.

From the beginning of the year to mid-March, six people died in the city while cycling. For comparison, for the entire 2018 year, 10 deaths of cyclists were recorded. According to police, 968 cycling injuries were recorded this year, which is 9,6% more than during the same period last year.

In the North Queens patrol district, which includes areas such as Long Island City, Astoria and Woodside, the number of road traffic crashes increased from 9 to 13.

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According to the police, a driver's mistake (distraction from driving, speeding or non-compliance with the rules) caused at least 50 deaths as a result of traffic accidents this year, or about 77%.

De Blasio's Vision Zero program aims to eliminate traffic fatalities by 2024 by designing safe streets and improving enforcement and education. It has reduced traffic deaths from 299 in 2013 to 202 last year - the lowest number of traffic accidents ever recorded on the city's streets.

The program requires the Department of Transportation to install safe infrastructure—such as bike lanes or crosswalks—every time a street is repaired.

“We know these changes are what save lives,” said Amy Cohen of Families for Safe Streets. “Systematic change is needed, and we need the mayor to commit to it.”

The city has implemented 139 street improvement projects as part of Vision Zero, but critics believe that such security features should be implemented faster.

“Families for Safe Streets”, a division of the non-profit transport alternatives support group, insists that Mayor New York adopt the Vision Zero Street design standard.

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