City Launches ‘Dusk and Darkness’ Campaign to Promote Road Safety as Nights Grow Longer

By Y.M. Lowy

With daylight-saving time ending this weekend, New York City is launching its annual Dusk and Darkness campaign to remind everyone to stay alert on the roads as evenings get darker earlier. The program, led by the Department of Transportation and the NYPD, focuses on preventing crashes that often happen when visibility drops in the late evening.

When clocks turn back, rush hour suddenly happens in near darkness, and that change has been linked to more accidents, especially involving pedestrians. The Dusk and Darkness campaign began in 2016 and combines public safety messages with stronger traffic enforcement.

“As the sun sets earlier, we want drivers to slow down and stay alert,” said DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “Simple actions like stopping for pedestrians and putting away your phone can save lives.”

The NYPD has already started increasing patrols in late afternoon and evening hours. Officers are focusing on drivers who speed, ignore signals, fail to yield, or use their phones while driving. Traffic agents are also clearing double-parked cars and vehicles blocking crosswalks and bike lanes to improve visibility.

City officials say this year has seen fewer traffic deaths, but they are still urging both drivers and pedestrians to pay extra attention as daylight hours get shorter.