Traffic fatalities at their lowest in NYC for the first 6 months of 2017

There were 93 traffic fatalities in New York City for the first 6 months of 2017. This is the first time since traffic accident data began being recorded in the City that this number went below 100. 203 people died in motor vehicle accidents in NYC for the full fiscal year that ended on June 30.

These numbers were announced a few days ago by Mayor Bill de Blasio. “No loss of life on our streets is acceptable, but under Vision Zero, we have seen continued and consistent progress, with traffic fatalities on the decline for three-and-a-half-years, strongly countering national trends,” said Mayor de Blasio.

Since 2014, the city has been taking multiple measures such as street redesign and traffic enforcement to try to make the streets safer for all New Yorkers. Pedestrians, especially children and seniors are the most at risk of being fatally struck by a car. Among the 93 people who died in traffic accidents, 47 of them were pedestrians. Respectively 63, 54 and 55 and  of them died during the same period of 2016, 2015 and 2014.

The most important decline in traffic deaths were recorded in Queens where 23 road users died over the first half of 2017 compared to 32 during the same period of 2016. In Manhattan there were 20 traffic fatalities between last January and last June compared to 26 for the same period a year before. Also in Staten Island 5 people died in auto accidents over the first six months of this year compared to 11 during the first six months of last year.

These numbers are particularly good compared to the national statistics which are showing an increase in traffic fatalities all over the country. The Department of Transportation Commissioner, Polly Trottenberg confirmed that she was extremely happy with the numbers. In a joint conference with the Mayor and other agency leaders involved in Vision Zero she mentioned that the “Cross This Way” curriculum and the “Dusk & Darkness” initiative helped in curbing fatalities.

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