The Road Safety Ink: August Edition
In the August Edition of the Road Safety Ink, we dive into the rapid progress of a speed safety camera program, highlighting the impressive results achieved in just the first year. Our CEO’s recent feature on Forbes.com sheds light on our company’s visionary leadership. The expansion of safety continues with the addition of red-light and speed safety cameras in various cities, complemented by an impactful school bus safety campaign. We also share the recent opposition facing a beneficial speed safety camera bill in California, emphasizing the importance of overcoming challenges for the greater good.
The Big Story
NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) announced that speeding, injuries, and traffic fatalities declined in areas with speed cameras during the first year of 24/7 enforcement. Speed camera violations dropped an average of 30%, with the most dramatic drop occurring on Houston Street in the East Village, where speeding declined by 96%. In addition to the reduction in speeding, injuries also declined along corridors across the city.
Key Takeaways:
84 percent on Cropsey Avenue (Brooklyn)
74 percent on North Conduit Boulevard (Brooklyn)
79 percent on Seagirt Boulevard (Queens)
83 percent on Union Turnpike (Queens)
68 percent on Bruckner Boulevard (Bronx)
*Data as of 6/30/2023
3. Following 24-hour operations, NYC DOT also recorded steep declines in traffic injuries during overnight and weekend hours at camera locations across the city, including a*:
45 percent injury reduction on Tremont Avenue (Bronx)
33 percent reduction on Kings Highway (Brooklyn)
19 percent reduction on Hylan Boulevard (Staten Island)
16 percent reduction on Queens Boulevard (Queens)
18 percent reduction on Amsterdam Avenue (Manhattan)
*Data as of 7/31/2023
Verra Mobility, in collaboration with DXC Technology, is supporting the Centrale Verwerking Openbaar Ministerie (CVOM) to enhance road safety in the Netherlands.
On June 19, 2023, the Verra Mobility and DXC consortium, was awarded a tranche to replace existing automated enforcement sites using the NMi-approved Halo automated enforcement solution. CVOM has completed its acceptance process to approve the solution, and, following scheme design and planning, the consortium’s first systems were installed on sites on August 15, 2023.
Key Takeaways:
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Labor Day Weekend
A big thank you to our employees for their dedication and hard work. On Labor Day and every day, we want to focus on making safety a priority. During the Labor Day holiday weekend last year, more than 170,000 motorists were issued speeding violations. Help us Zero In On Safety to reach a world where everyone can travel safely.
Highlighting Safer Communities:
Lakeland Police Sgt. Chad Mumbauer told city commissioners on Friday that the city’s 14-year-old red light camera program is working because 85% of the people who receive a $158 ticket do not get cited again.
The Binghamton Rumble Ponies announced that they are partnering with the Broome County Stop-Arm Safety Campaign to highlight the program.
“With the 2023 to 2024 school year approaching, the safety of the children and community going to and from school is on the forefront of our minds. Our goal with this event is to put the safety of the children at the forefront of everyone’s mind as well.”
- Public Safety Program Coordinator, Kirby Sainclair
A new program coming to Cumberland will see cameras installed on the outside of school buses to catch the license plates of drivers illegally passing the bus.
School Supt. Phil Thornton presented the plan to the School Committee last week, saying that drivers passing school buses happens “more than we’d like to hear about.”
Chief of Police Matthew Benson agreed that a new camera program and ticketing system will act as a deterrent, said Thornton, and the town and schools will partner with the company Verra Mobility, at no cost to local taxpayers.
As traffic deaths continue to rise across the U.S., many cities have turned to automated enforcement technologies, such as red-light cameras and speed cameras that issue tickets to violators without the need for on-site police presence.
With fewer officers on the street, cities turned to technology. “Cities are increasing the number of sensors that they have in the city to detect what’s going on. People understand that these programs are very effective, and they’re trying to find ways to get them to protect the people they care about, the most vulnerable people on the roads.”
- Jon Baldwin, EVP of Government Solutions at Verra Mobility
News Across the Nation
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