NYC Sees 127 Traffic Deaths in First Half of 2024

Traffic deaths in New York City are at their highest level since the city launched its Vision Zero program ten years ago, reports Michael McDowell for Patch, with 127 deaths in the first six months of 2024.

The article notes that although the connection between enforcement and traffic deaths is unclear, “Speeding in particular is a key cause of traffic fatalities, and according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, about a third of fatal crashes are speeding related.”

The New York Police Department (NYPD) issued fewer citations for moving violations this year, yet “Last year, drivers who ran red lights caused incidents that resulted in the highest annual number of deaths due to red light running ever recorded in the city.” According to an NYPD spokesperson, “The NYPD has been, and continues to be, laser focused on combating dangerous driving behaviors, most notably drivers that speed and drivers that fail to yield to pedestrians and cyclists.”

Meanwhile, traffic congestion in the city is also at historic highs. “For example, the MTA, which tracks traffic volume on bridges and tunnels, recorded the highest annual traffic volume in 87 years in 2023.”