NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A9861A
SPONSOR: Glick (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to establishing
photo speed violation monitoring systems in school speed zones in the
city of New York; and to amend chapter 189 of the laws of 2013, amending
the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law relating to
establishing in a city with a population of one million people or more a
demonstration program implementing speed violation monitoring systems in
school zones by means of photo devices and chapter 43 of the laws of
2014, amending the vehicle and traffic law, the public officers law and
the general municipal law relating to photo speed violation monitoring
systems in school speed zones in the city of New York, in relation to
the effectiveness thereof
PURPOSE OF BILL:
To reduce incidents of speeding in school zones in order to better
protect schoolchildren and other road users.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 amends subdivision (a) of section 1180-b of the vehicle and
traffic law to remove references to a demonstration program and time
restrictions. This section is further amended to remove the cap of 140
cameras and allows New York City to install speed safety cameras in any
school speed zone in the city.
Section 2 amends section 12 of chapter 43 of the laws of 2014 so only
sections one through ten of the chapter expire 4 years after the effec-
tive date.
Section 3, 4, 5 and 6 amend section 1180-b of the vehicle and traffic
law to remove references to a demonstration program.
Section 7 amends section 15 of chapter 189 of the laws of 2013 to remove
the expiration date of the program.
Section 8 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Speeding motorists continue to put pedestrians, bicyclists and other
motorists in unnecessary danger in New York City. The New York City
Department of Transportation reports that the risk of pedestrian death
from being struck by a speeding vehicle increases from 5% at a speed of
20 miles per hour to 45% at a speed of 30 miles per hour, a 900%
increase.
Chapter 189 of the Laws of 2013 established a five year demonstration
program to allow a small amount of speed safety cameras to be used near
schools in New York City at certain hours of the day. The data from this
demonstration program speaks for itself. The New York City Department of
Transportation reports that there has been a 60% drop in speeding
infractions in locations where speed safety cameras have been installed.
Furthermore, speed safety cameras were able to issue over 1 million
infractions to motorists who were speeding near schools.
Currently, only 7% of New York City school children go to a school with
a speed safety camera nearby. It is time to expand this program so that
all schools can benefit from the enhanced safety that is associated with
having speed safety cameras nearby.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be Determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.
