The Office of Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz (A.D. 81) recently announced that Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed the assemblyman’s bill (A.5259A) to expand New York City’s red light camera program significantly. According to the assemblyman, the new legislation, described as a crucial step towards reducing traffic and pedestrian fatalities and increasing road safety, will expand the number of authorized intersections for red light cameras from 150 to 600 across the city.

 

Initially launched in 1994, Dinowitz said the red light camera program has proven to be an effective tool for improving road safety. The assemblyman, who broadly represents the Northwest Bronx, said studies from NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) have shown a significant reduction in severe injuries at intersections where cameras have been installed, with a 58% decrease in severe injuries following their implementation. He added that the program also enjoys overwhelming public support, with a 2020 Siena College Research Institute Poll finding that 85% of New York City voters, including 84% of car owners, support the program’s expansion.

 

“Expanding the red light camera program is essential to making New York City streets safer for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike,” said Dinowitz. “With this expansion, we are giving our city more tools to combat traffic violence and reduce the number of preventable collisions. This law will help save lives and create a safer, more equitable streetscape.”

 

The assemblyman said the expansion comes in response to an increase in traffic-related deaths and injuries across the city. He said in the deadliest year for street safety since the launch of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative in 2014, the increased number of red light cameras will play a vital role in reducing accidents at intersections that currently lack sufficient enforcement.

 

Dinowitz went on to say that by authorizing the installation of red light cameras at 600 intersections, the new law aims to improve safety throughout the city. “This law will help protect all New Yorkers, especially those in communities where high-speed roads and dangerous intersections have taken far too many lives,” the assemblyman added.

 

He said the red light camera expansion will take effect on Dec. 22, and the underlying legislation has been extended until December 2027. He said the expansion will enhance street safety and allow law enforcement officers to focus on other matters, as automated enforcement can reduce the need for manual traffic stops and the number of interactions between police and motorists.

 

In September, a Queens man was charged following a high-speed chase that ended in The Bronx. Aside from speed cameras, as reported, at a recent Bronx CB7 Parks meeting, members had discussed a recent budget request to install security cameras in all the parks in Bronx Community District 7 to address public safety concerns. Meanwhile, Norwood News readers had previously shared their thoughts on the expansion of the red camera program.

 

To read more on the history of this topic, click here,  here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.