This iconic American state has seriously lowered speed limits. Officials in New York City have dramatically lowered speed limits by implementing a 20 mph speed limit across various regions of New York. This comes after a new law was passed giving the city more control of speeds in areas that experience high traffic and accident volumes.
Will the new 20 mph speed limit have the desired effect and reduce accidents?
New York City officials hope that by implementing new speed limits in certain areas in New York known as “regional slow zones”. They began doing so in the fall and after the passing of “Sammy’s Law” the city can now implement even slower limits across the board. The law was written after a 13 year old boy named Sammy Cohen Eckstein was struck and killed by a driver in 2013.
Having more control of these “regional slow zones” gives the city the chance to reduce the speed in these areas to 20 mph and even more to 10 mph if they deem it necessary. Some of these zones regulations are obvious, such as school zones and areas that experience a lot of accidents. The NYC official press release stated that after passing the law, city officials would implement the new limits across the state.
New York City has never been a friendly city for the car. Being one of the most densely populated cities in the world, residents are known for preferring public transport in an effort to not have to deal with New York’s notorious gridlock traffic jams. With the city residents fighting over space and property being limited, most people choose to simply not own a car.
Is the new limits just an attempt by officials to regain public favorability?
The new law has drivers in New York having mixed reactions. With some welcoming the concept, others state that the law will just frustrate drivers in an already frustrating city to drive in. With other states in the US passing laws that seem to benefit drivers, New York residents might feel that this is just another attempt to get their money from the state…