The City launched Vision Zero in January 2014, recognizing that traffic crashes causing serious injury and death are not inevitable âaccidentsâ but preventable incidents that can be
systematically addressed and reduced. In partnership with the Mayorâs Office, City agencies are implementing 240 initiatives to advance this mission. Progress on each of these
initiatives is updated in the annual Vision Zero Report. The Cityâs investment in Vision
Zero, funded with a total of $3.7 billion through Fiscal 2024, has ensured resources will be
available to continue an accelerated pace of redesign and reconstruction of City streets as
well as for enforcement and education initiatives to deter unsafe driving and promote safe
walking and biking.
Progress happened with the full force of City governmentâagencies collaborating since the
inception of Vision Zero to chart a path towards safer streets for all, share best practices and
implement proven strategies, as well as test new ones. The Vision Zero Task Force convenes
regularly and includes representatives from the New York City Police Department (NYPD),
the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC), the
Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the Department of Health and
Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Law Department, the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB), the District Attorneysâ offices, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the
Business Integrity Commission (BIC) and the Sheriffâs Office.
This cross-agency collaboration has contributed to the successful implementation of key
Vision Zero initiatives. The expansion of the speed camera program, the enactment of the 25
miles per hour default speed limit, targeted and data-driven enforcement of violations such
as speeding and failure-to-yield to pedestrians, extensive public outreach and the legislative
agenda to deter dangerous driving behaviors have all resulted from this close coordination.
Despite this progress, there remains work to be done and Vision Zero partner agencies are
committed to making City streets safer. In July 2019, the City released Green Wave: A Plan
for Cycling in New York City to confront the rise in cycling fatalities. The plan combines
design, enforcement, legislation, policy and education to make the Cityâs streets safer for
cyclists and all street users.
In Fiscal 2020, overall citywide traffic fatalities fell 3.2 percent, from 218 to 211. Fatalities
among bicyclists and motor vehicle operators increased, while pedestrian and motorcyclist
fatalities decreased. Motor vehicle passenger fatalities did not change from the previous year.
Mayorâs Office
DCAS
DOHMH
DOT
NYPD
TLC
Fatality Type
Actual
FY19-FY20
FY16 FY17 FY18 FY19 FY20 % Change
Total Fatalities 236 211 209 218 211 -3.2%
Pedestrians 132 132 107 120 107 -10.8%
Bicyclists 20 16 21 17 22 29.4%
Motorcyclists 25 20 35 34 31 -8.8%
Motor Vehicle Operators 34 21 30 30 34 13.3%
Passengers 25 22 16 17 17 0.0%
Source: NYPD
Page 28 | MAYORâS MANAGEMENT REPORT
STREET DESIGN
DOT continued to make streets safer by implementing designs that simplify complex intersections, discourage speeding,
slow down turns, provide bicycle lanes, make pedestrians and cyclists more visible and shorten pedestrian crossing
distances at Vision Zero priority locations. In Fiscal 2020 DOT completed 126 street improvement projects at high crash
signals at 222 intersections, installed 82.4 bike lane miles and implemented safety signal retiming on seven priority
corridors.
In Fiscal 2020 DOT advanced work on all four Vision Zero Great Streets projects:
⢠Queens Boulevard: The City remains committed to implementation of the Phase 4 operational project, which covers
the 1.1-mile portion between Yellowstone Boulevard and Union Turnpike. Because the Queens Boulevard project
is partially federally funded, it requires sign-offs from both Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and New York
State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). That process continues, but has been delayed due to COVID-19. In
2020, DOT also continued the design process for Phases A and B of the capital project (Roosevelt Avenue to Eliot
Avenue) and Conceptual Design and Traffic Study work on Phases C and D (Eliot Ave to Union Turnpike).
⢠Grand Concourse: Construction continued throughout the year on Phase 3 of the capital project (from East 171st
Street to East 175th Street) and began on Phase 4 (East 175th Street to East Fordham Road). In September 2019,
the design process began for Phase 5 (East Fordham Road to East 198th Street).
⢠Atlantic Avenue: Construction of Phase 1 (Georgia Avenue to Logan Street) is nearing completion and is expected
to finish by the end of Calendar 2020, with the exception of the limits of Georgia Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue.
That portion has been transferred to a forthcoming DEP project contract due to the necessity of coordinating with
a bridge project and is expected to commence in spring 2021 when the bridge project is completed. The design
of Phase 2 (Logan Street to Rockaway Boulevard) is complete. DOT is preparing the Percent for Art proposal for
presentation to the Public Design Commission, however that process is currently on hold due to COVID-19.
⢠4th Avenue: Operational safety improvements between 1st and 15th Streets were completed in July 2019,
while work between 15th and 57th Streets is currently in progress and scheduled to finish in fall 2020. The
median improvement capital project led by DOT and DDC, between 8th Street and 64th Street, is currently in the
construction procurement phase. Further capital work that will take place between Atlantic Avenue and 64th Street
is currently in the scoping phase.
ENFORCEMENT
Data-driven law enforcement that deters dangerous driving behavior helps to reduce traffic fatalities and serious
injuries. Consequently, NYPD continued to focus on enforcement of especially hazardous driving violations, including
speeding, failure-to-yield to pedestrians, signal violations, improper turns and use of hand-held devices while driving.
Each week at TrafficStat, NYPDâs Chief of Transportation meets with NYPD executives to outline, review and manage
NYPDâs traffic program. In Fiscal 2020, NYPD issued 145,559 speeding summonses and 72,708 failure-to-yield to
pedestrian summonses, a decrease of four percent and an increase of 26.4 percent, respectively, from Fiscal 2019.
NYPD also issued 2,887 violations of NYC Administrative Code 19-190âthe âright of way lawââto drivers who struck
a pedestrian or cyclist who had the legal right of way, and made 37 arrests for these violations. NYPD has a total of
3,241 officers trained in LIDAR devices that measure speed and 661 LIDAR guns in service.
TLCâs enforcement officers focused on these same high-priority moving violations by TLC-licensed drivers. In Fiscal 2020,
TLC issued 13,954 Vision Zero summonses, including 1,436 speeding summonses, 2,578 summonses for distracted
driving while using an electronic device, and 6,114 summonses for running stop signs. In response to COVID-19, TLC
reallocated enforcement staff to support emergency response operations in spring 2020. TLC also enforces against
bike lane obstruction by its driver licensees both in the field and via consumer complaints. Working with the public,
TLC issues summonses in response to these complaints and fines drivers for this unsafe behavior, encouraging drivers
to keep these lanes clear to keep bicyclists safe.
COLLABORATING TO DELIVER RESULTS: Vision Zero | Page 29
OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT
The Vision Zero Street Teams integrate education and enforcement to discourage unsafe behavior on City streets. Teams
of DOT and NYPD staff work together to identify corridors with significant crash history, along with the causes of those
crashes. Staff then spend a week distributing fliers to pedestrians and drivers with safety tips about the most common
causes of crashes in those corridors, which is followed by NYPD enforcement in the same area in the subsequent week.
In Fiscal 2020 Street Teams concentrated efforts on nine high-priority corridors.
Vision Zero also delivers safe-driving messaging and training to specific populations of drivers, such as for-hire vehicle
drivers, City employee drivers and MTA bus operators. At the City level, DCAS has reinforced the safety message to City
employees with 5,443 City drivers trained in defensive driving during the reporting period, bringing the total number
of employees who have completed the day-long safety training to over 65,000 since the beginning of Vision Zero.
Defensive driving was significantly impacted by COVID-19, which shut down training in March. During Fiscal 2020
DCAS began to pilot virtual reality (VR) training to augment class sessions beginning with DPR. DCAS also worked with
DOT, BIC, TLC and MTA to share best practices and coordinate training themes for fleet operators. Additionally, DCAS
worked with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to train DOE employees to teach defensive driving and
develop the Vision Zero training curriculum for school bus operators, as well as installing telematics on over 10,000
school buses. DCAS, MTA and the rest of the Vision Zero Task Force also conducted the first workshop for private and
public fleets providing a roadmap for the creation of safe driver training programs for participating companies. This
was the first event under the Fleets of the Future Network as outlined in Executive Order 53 of 2020.
In Fiscal 2020 over 7,100 drivers completed TLCâs pre-licensure driver training course. Almost 130,000 drivers have
taken this course since 2014. This training requirement includes a specialized Vision Zero curriculum developed for forhire drivers that highlights important safety information, such as road designs like bike lanes, high-risk driving behavior
that can lead to crashes and the crucial role that professional drivers play in promoting a culture of safe driving. TLC
also began reviewing education provider applications for an updated distracted driving remediation course for drivers
convicted of using an electronic communication device while driving for-hire.
TLC held a variety of outreach events to educate drivers on Vision Zero in Fiscal 2020. The âTLC In Your Boroughâ
program features discussion with drivers on safety priorities, such as preventing distracted and fatigued driving. In
summer and fall 2019, TLC staff conducted outreach meetings with drivers at for-hire vehicle bases and taxi garages
throughout the city and distributed Vision Zero materials at transportation hubs. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic,
TLC shifted outreach efforts in 2020 to digital engagement with licensees and the public via email newsletters and
social media.
The âDusk and Darknessâ campaign returned for a fourth year in Fiscal 2020. Based on a 2016 DOT and NYPD
analysis of crash trends, it was found that the earlier onset of darkness in the fall and winter is correlated with a
40 percent increase in severe injury and fatal crashes involving pedestrians in the early evening hours compared to
crashes during those same hours outside the fall and winter. In addition, there were twice as many fatal and severe
injury crashes involving driver turns during these hours. In response, the Vision Zero Task Force developed this multiagency seasonal enforcement and education approach. NYPD focused additional enforcement resources on the most
hazardous violations, including speeding and failure-to-yield to pedestrians, with precincts increasing their on-street
presence around sunset hours.
FLEETS
At the end of Fiscal 2020 DCAS announced that it acquired, through new vehicle purchases and retrofits, over 53,000
avoidance systems, driver alerts and automatic headlights. DCAS has installed telematics in more than 12,000 City
vehicles and over 10,000 school buses. The rest of the City fleet is expected to be completed in Fiscal 2021. These
investments are designed to reduce collisions, improve training and driver awareness and lessen the impact of crashes
that do happen.
Through the end of Fiscal 2020, the number of City vehicles with truck sideguards exceeded 3,100. New units with
sideguards were delivered and retrofits were completed on a daily basis. The Cityâs rollout of sideguards is the biggest
Page 30 | MAYORâS MANAGEMENT REPORT
implementation in North America and DCAS continues to work with other public and private fleets to advocate for
these lifesaving safety devices.
Progress continued on the Connected Vehicle Pilot as hundreds of vehicles from DOT, TLC and other agencies were
equipped with connected vehicle technology during the reporting period. This program is outlined in the Safe Fleet
Transition Plan Update and funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally, it was announced during
United Nations Global Road Safety Week that private fleets who are members of Together for Safer Roads (TSR) would
be joining the program.
DCAS held its sixth annual Vision Zero Fleet Safety Forum at Queens Theatre in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in
October 2019 with over 500 people in attendance. The forum brought together public and private sector fleet operators
for updates on Vision Zero efforts. Panels highlighted Vision Zero fleet programs in cities and corporations around the
country as well as trade waste vehicle safety. There were presentations from Vision Zero Task Force member agencies
of MTA and the Sheriffâs Office. The forum also highlighted transportation advocacy from Families for Safe Streets and
Transportation Alternatives.
The Fleet Safety Forum was used to premiere the âI See Youâ training video that was developed by DOT and DCAS
with support from other agencies. This video focuses on large fleet operators and safety techniques that should be
used when driving these vehicles. DCAS has added this video to all defensive driving training classes and provided it
to all operators of City vehicles. The video has also been shared on social media and with members of the Truck Safety
Task Force.
The City and road safety partner Together for Safer Roads (TSR) convened a Digitizing Vision Zero workshop following
the Fleet Safety Forum to strategize about how to improve cyclist safety. The workshop produced data- and technologybased concepts that will be developed into pilot projects. DCAS joined as a founding member of TSRâs Global Leadership
Council for Fleet Safety. The council will share knowledge among peers to help smaller fleet operators create a culture
of safety and reduce risk.
TLC honored 433 drivers and 25 businesses for their safe driving records at the sixth annual Safety Honor Roll Ceremony
in October 2019. One hundred and one drivers were repeat honorees in 2019. The criteria for selecting honorees is fulltime drivers who in the past four years have not been involved in a crash resulting in an injury or fatality and have not
received any moving violations and TLC safety rule violations. The ceremony recognizes these driversâ accomplishments
and serves to remind all 183,000 TLC-licensed drivers of the high value that the City places on safety.
TLC actively engaged licensees to promote broader use of âLOOK! For Cyclistsâ decals that remind passengers to
cautiously open their doors and remain aware of cyclists when exiting a vehicle. By connecting with fleets and for-hire
bases, as well as individual for-hire drivers through a dedicated social media effort, TLC distributed over 32,000 new
decals. The decals are currently available to all licensees at no cost at the TLC vehicle inspection facility in Woodside,
Queens.
DATA-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS
While the burden of traffic injury and death in the City is well established, many questions still remain related to how
and why crashes happen and the effects of prevention efforts. Vision Zero agencies continue working to improve what
they know about the circumstances of roadway crashes and learning from the data they collect to inform decision
making. In Fiscal 2020 the Vision Zero Data Working Group made progress on prioritizing research agenda questions,
collaborating with academic partners such as University of Chicago and Columbia University. This work included
advancing the Speed and Red-Light Camera & Driver Behavior Study, which aims to determine the impacts of speed
and red-light cameras on driving behavior over time and characterize repeat offenders across violations and involvement
in traffic crashes. DOHMH, working with other City agencies, continues to promote action related to addressing Vision
Zero research priorities.
COLLABORATING TO DELIVER RESULTS: Vision Zero | Page 31
Senior centers partnering with DOT to increase feedback on street
safety improvements 120 125 170 188 114 * *
Bicycle lane miles installed - total 53.9 82.9 70.5 67.5 82.4 50 50
Bicycle lane miles installed - protected 16.0 16.0 23.9 20.2 21.0 * *
Leading pedestrian intervals installed (signal timing that allows pedestrians to start crossing before traffic is released) 648 939 749 1,121 819 300 300