Contributes to reducing the number of accidents and deaths on the roads
To promote road safety as winter approaches when it gets dark earlier, the campaign ‘Dusk and Darkness’, Atardecer y Oscuridad, promoted by the Department of Transportation and the Mayor’s Office of New York, has already been launched.
Mayor Eric Adams announced the return of the annual “Dusk and Darkness” traffic control and education measure, which seeks to keep pedestrians, cyclists, and all road users safe during fall and winter nights, especially after the end of daylight saving time this Sunday, November 6.
This year, the ‘Dusk and Darkness’ campaign will focus on promoting safe commercial waste removal practices, handled by private companies, to protect workers and other road users, while the City Police Department The New York Police Department (NYPD) will expand traffic enforcement of dangerous traffic violations during the most dangerous nighttime and nighttime hours.
“This initiative brings together three things our administration has focused on since day one: tracking the data, breaking down silos between agencies, and keeping New Yorkers safe,” said Mayor Adams.
“We’ve seen how dangerous the streets can be after DST, and we’re implementing specific, proven strategies to give New Yorkers the tools they need to keep themselves and their neighbors safe. Security on the streets is public security,” added the official.
Light and visibility are reduced
Launched in 2016 and now in its seventh year, the ‘Dusk and Darkness’ campaign combines proven tactics to combat high rates of fatal accidents. During fall evenings, rush hour occurs at a time when sunlight and visibility are dramatically and suddenly reduced, leading to some of the highest fatal accident rates of the calendar year. In the past, this campaign has improved safety on city streets, reducing the average number of late-night and late-night deaths each year by 13.5% over the years it has been in effect compared to the previous five years. In that time period, the average number of pedestrian fatalities dropped by 21.7% and the average number of motor vehicle occupant fatalities dropped by 25.8%.
Drive responsibly
“Drivers should operate their vehicles responsibly every time they get behind the wheel, but as our days get shorter, they have a greater responsibility to drive carefully to keep their fellow New Yorkers safe, especially on nights we know they are more dangerous,” said the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation (DOT), Ydanis Rodríguez.
“As the days grow shorter, it is important that we all travel through this city with caution and consideration for our fellow New Yorkers. I urge all drivers to keep their speed down, bicyclists to wear reflective gear, and pedestrians to cross streets with caution,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “I thank the DOT, TLC, NYPD and all Vision Zero agencies for spreading this important message and helping keep our streets safe.”
Program initiatives
Awareness Day: DOT and NYPD Vision Zero Street teams were stationed at high-visibility locations throughout the five boroughs to remind travelers of the increased dangers of fall afternoon and overnight traffic accidents.
Increased Nighttime Law Enforcement: The NYPD is engaging in increased and sustained law enforcement that began on Halloween and will continue through the fall and winter. NYPD officers will be deployed to local highways and streets, with an increased focus on driving behavior that endangers vulnerable road users. Officers will be on standby to enforce dangerous driving violations to keep pedestrians and bicyclists, including older adults and children, safe in city neighborhoods. The app will target drivers who speed, drivers who fail to yield, and distracted drivers who use their cell phones while behind the wheel. NYPD traffic officers will increase vigilance against double parked vehicles blocking bike and bus lanes.