Senator Gounardes, Assemblymembers Gallagher, Fahy, Epstein, Rivera Join With Advocates to Urge Albany End Traffic Violence through SAFE Streets Package, Including Speed Limiters for Repeat Offenders

Traffic violence killed 787 people across New York State in 2023.

ALBANY, NY — With this year’s legislative session underway, State Senator Gounardes and Assemblymembers Gallagher, Epstein, Rivera, and Fahy rallied with the NYS Safe Streets Coalition – a statewide group of nearly 150 organizations – to urge passage of the SAFE Streets Package, a package of four bills that would bring safe streets improvements to communities across the state. 

The SAFE Streets Package includes Speed Limiters for Repeat Offenders, legislation that requires mandatory intelligent speed assistance technology for repeat offenders, similar to installing breathalyzers in the cars of repeated drunk drivers.

The bills include measures to:

• Create complete streets by incentivizing safe streets elements in projects receiving state or federal funding and when streets are being resurfaced.

• Mandate safe vehicles by requiring intelligent speed assistance technology for repeat offenders.

• Protect vulnerable people on our roads by requiring drivers to pass pedestrians, wheelchair users, and bike riders at a safe distance of at least three feet.

• Enhance safety for people on bikes by implementing NHTSA recommended policies that allow cyclists to treat stop lights as stop signs, and stop signs as yields.

Learn more about the SAFE Streets Package here. 

“The SAFE Streets Package is critical for New York State,” said Elizabeth Adams, Deputy Executive Director for Public Affairs at Transportation Alternatives. “These common-sense bills would make streets safer from Brooklyn to Buffalo. Building safe streets infrastructure and protecting the most vulnerable on our roads will save lives. We know that speeding kills, and reckless, repeated speeders endanger everyone on our streets. Speeding isn’t a right – and ensuring that reckless drivers are driving the speed limit will save lives all across the state.” 

“I became a member of Families for Safe Streets after I was seriously injured as a pedestrian on a gray afternoon in 2017. I’m standing here today, alive and on two legs and without a brain injury, because of speed. The force of the vehicle, a sedan, traveling at fairly low speed, tore the layers of muscle, fascia, viscera, and skin apart. New York State can do so much more to protect everyone from traffic violence on our streets — and our elected leaders can start by passing Speed Limiters for Repeat Offenders and the entire SAFE Streets Package,” said Families for Safe Streets member Kate Brockwehl. “Last year, Albany passed zero statewide street safety bills, while hundreds of New Yorkers were killed by cars and trucks. These losses are preventable, but New York is not taking steps to prevent them. It’s past time for Albany to treat traffic violence like a public health crisis and pass the SAFE Streets Package without delay.”

What elected officials are saying:

"ISA devices do a simple, life-saving thing: prevent drivers from speeding," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "When people drive drunk, we put a device in cars to prevent it from happening again. When people repeatedly speed, we should use similar tech to stop that, too. My bill to mandate ISA devices for repeatedly-reckless drivers will only apply to a small number of serial speeders, but it will have an outsize impact on safety for everyone."

“Cyclists are most vulnerable to collisions at intersections, and far too many cyclists have been hurt or killed in recent years. That's why I’m pushing to pass my Stop as Yield/Idaho Stop Bill. This law allows cyclists to cautiously move through intersections and avoid danger zones. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration supports it, and so should we. Let's move this legislation this year to save lives in New York State,” said Senator Rachel May.

“With more motorists and cyclists sharing our roadways than ever before, we need to ensure everyone’s safety by necessitating a buffer zone when vehicles are passing bicyclists. Just this simple, common-sense provision will save lives across the state,” said Senator Pete Harckham. 

“Unfortunately, in recent years, my district has experienced an uptick in the number of car crashes causing critical injuries and death for pedestrians and bicyclists. One way we can prevent these tragedies is to adopt legislation establishing a three feet minimum passing distance that protects pedestrians, wheelchair users and cyclists. This concept has already been enacted by 40 states, including most of our neighbors, and New York should follow suit.” said Assemblymember Phil Steck.

“Stop as Yield would make New York safer for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists,” said Assemblymember Patricia Fahy. “After Delaware passed its law, traffic crashes involving bicyclists at stop sign intersections fell by 23% in the first 30 months. New Yorkers need the entire Safe Streets package passed and signed into law this year, including Defined Safe Passing. Every minute we waste means another New Yorker’s life is in danger thanks to rising traffic violence not just here in the Capital Region or in NYC, but across the state. The sooner this package of bills is passed and signed into law, the more lives we will save.” 

Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, ”This package of Complete Streets legislation will produce a substantial improvement in street safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists by setting a standard for road resurfacing and preservation. Pedestrian safety is not just a matter of policy; it’s a reflection of our commitment to the fundamental right of every individual to move safely through their neighborhood. By investing in safer streets, we invest in the vitality of our community, fostering an environment where everyone can walk and traverse our cities with peace of mind.”

What advocates are saying:

“New York’s laws need a clear, unambiguous defined safe passing distance like the ones that already exist in 40 other states including most of our neighbors.” said New York Bicycling Coalition Executive Director Anne Savage. “Our laws should be clear that drivers must give pedestrians, cyclists, and wheelchair users at least a three feet buffer, or wait until they can -- don’t save a few seconds, save a life!”

“We should leverage every repaving project as an opportunity to make our streets safer. Complete Streets Maintenance will help ensure that complete streets become routine practice of every DOT in the state,” said Cody Donahue, Director of Policy and Advocacy for Reconnect Rochester. “We in Monroe County have a Defined Safe Passing law following the tragic death of Brockport school teacher Carrie Ray. We think every county in the state should have the same law protecting vulnerable road users.”

“Speeding fatalities are preventable and it is time to face the reality that current traditional methods to control repeat speeding offenders don't work. We need stronger action,” said Leah Walton, a transportation safety specialist with the National Transportation Safety Board. “Recent investigations of devastating speed-related crashes led the NTSB to recommend all states explore requiring ISA for repeat speeding offenders. We encourage New York to implement this measure and set a new standard for traffic safety in our country.”