Relates to certain traffic-control indications in the city of New York

2 Co-sponsors

• Daniel L. Squadron
• Toby Ann Stavisky

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to certain traffic-control indications; to amend chapter 746 of the laws of 1988 amending the vehicle and traffic law, the general municipal law and the public officers law, relating to the civil liability of vehicle owners for traffic control signal violations, in relation to extending the effectiveness thereof; and to amend local law number 46 of the city of New York for the year 1989 amending the administrative code of the city of New York relating to civil liability of vehicle owners for traffic control signal violations, in relation to extending the effectiveness thereof

Purpose

This bill authorizes New York City to increase the number of red light cameras they can utilize by fifty.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: Increases the amount of "red light cameras" New York City is authorized to use by an additional fifty cameras.

Existing law

New York City is currently authorized to have 100 red light cameras.

Justification

In 1988 the New York State legislature enacted legislation that allowed New York city to establish a demonstration program to install photo monitoring devices to record vehicles going through red light signals at traffic intersections. "Red Light Camera Programs" have proven to be an effective traffic safety measure that prevent injuries and the loss of life due to accidents caused by red light running.

Since its inception in December of 1993, hundreds of thousands of vehicles, including buses and taxicabs, have been caught going through red lights by the traffic control monitoring devices in New York city. In calendar year 2005 alone, 306,117 violations or Notices of Liability ("NOLs") were issued to violators.

A large number of traffic accidents resulting in bodily injury and death to motorists, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists are due to the failure of motorists to obey traffic control signals located at intersections. "Right angle" and pedestrian accidents attributed to red light running are among the leading causes of traffic facilities By reducing the number of vehicles running red lights, the likelihood of "right angle" and pedestrian type accidents is reduced. The extended use of these devices has been shown to dramatically reduce the number of violations at the intersections being monitored.

New York City's Red Light Camera Program has proven to be a viable instrument in enhancing safety for motorists, passengers, pedestrians and bicyclists. It has proven to be an effective traffic safety initiative whose success has been recognized by the State Legislature and the New York City Council in their repeated authorizations to extend the initial demonstration program. This legislation would seek to expand the current program in New York city to allow an additional fifty cameras.

Prior legislative history

S.5357B - Chapter 658 of 2006 S.2472-A of 2003-04 and S.6727 of 2001-02.

Local fiscal implications

This bill will allow increase revenue for New York City through the placement of additional cameras at intersections throughout the city.

Effective date

This act shall take effect immediately and sunset on December 1, 2014.