A State Senator Wants NYC to Lower Its Speed Limit on Busy Streets

By Yehudit Garmaise

    Far fewer pedestrians and drivers would die every year in New York City if speed limits could be set below 25 miles per hour, which currently is the city’s minimum speed limit in most streets, except for in schools zones, where the minimum speed limit is 15 miles per hour, argued State Sen. Brad Hoylman, who represents the 27th Senate District in Manhattan.

   After introducing a bill that gives the city authority to set its own speed limits under 25 miles an hour, State Sen. Hoylman pointed to a study done by the American Automobile Association that found that pedestrian injuries and deaths occurred much less when cars drive at 15 mph, instead of 25 mph.

   “By reducing drivers’ speed, you're actually reducing mortality person by person," said State Sen. Hoylman, who added that this year on New York City streets, 224 people have died, which is a 15% increase over the same period last year. In addition, deaths of bicyclists have increased by 200%.

   That to me is absurd," said State Sen. Hoylman, who bill, “Sammy’s Law,” is named after Samuel Cohen Eckstein, a 12 year-old who was killed by a driver on Prospect Park West in 2013.

   "This has to stop," Hoylman said. "We need to give New York City the tools to make our streets safer."

   For instance, in determining speed limits, the city should determine the number of restaurants with outdoor dining, bicyclists, kids on scooters, and other pedestrians.

   Many factors exist that the city should consider when determining whether the speed limits should be lower in different areas, State Sen. Hoylman said.

   "It's up to the city to determine in cooperation with local community boards how low that speed limit should go on certain streets,” he explained.

Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office.