Legislation Signed To Renew And Expand City’s Speed Camera Program

Just one day before 1.1 million children return to school in New York City, Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law Tuesday morning a bill to resurrect the use of speed cameras at 140 schools across the city and expand the program to include an additional 150 schools.

Following the NYS Senate’s failure to renew and expand the speed camera bill before the end of the legislative session on June 21, the city’s speed cameras stopped issuing tickets to motorists speeding in school zones on July 25. The bill was originally introduced in 2013 and the speed cameras have reduced traffic injuries involving pedestrians, motorists, and cyclists by 17 percent in school zones, according to the Mayor’s office. Studies have found that 81 percent of drivers who have received speed camera violations do not receive another.

The City Council, Mayor de Blasio, and Governor Cuomo joined forces to find a way to put the cameras back to work before classes start tomorrow. Last Monday, August 27, Governor Cuomo signed an emergency executive order to allow the City to access NYS Department of Motor Vehicles records. To expedite enforcement, when a speed camera photographs a speeding car, the City will now be able to take the the license plate info and identify the vehicle’s owner using DMV records.

On Wednesday, August 29, the New York City Council voted to pass a bill to allow the City to bypass the State legislature and create a solution to extend and expand the speed camera program.

Mayor Bill de Blasio signed Intro. 1089-2018 today to bring back the use of speed cameras at 140 schools. The law will immediately be enforced where speed cameras were already installed. Owners of vehicles recorded by a speed camera driving more than ten miles per hour above the speed limit in a school zone will once again receive a $50 ticket.

The City will expand the use of speed cameras to another 150 schools, for a total of 290 protected schools.

To celebrate the return of NYC’s speed safety camera program, a Safe Way Back to School rally will be held at City Hall Park today, September 4, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.

“Speed cameras save lives – it’s as simple as that,” said Council Member Brad Lander a co-sponsor of the new legislation. “I’ll continue my efforts to help end reckless driving in New York City through the Reckless Driver Accountability Act, which targets the 1 percent of drivers who get ticket after ticket, are using their cars as weapons against their neighbors, and for whom turning on the speed cameras simply won’t be enough.”

The Council Member introduced the Reckless Driver Accountability Act after Dorothy Bruns hit and killed Abigail Blumenstein and Joshua Lew in March. Bruns, who has multiple sclerosis and claims she suffered a seizure at the time of the fatal crash, had several driving violations, was involved in a hit-and-run incident last year, and was instructed by her doctor not to drive. The proposed bill would keep dangerous drivers off the road, targeting motorists who have racked up five or more violations in a year.