Shows about traffic resonate with New Yorkers. We could have talked about this issue for hours. Drivers blame pedestrians. Cyclists blame drivers. Pedestrians blame drivers and cyclists. Everyone blames taxis. Let's hope someone at City Hall comes up with a better way to make the streets safer. There seems to be enough blame to go around.

The City Council is taking suggestions on ways to improve this statistic: 1,745 people were killed and 142,485 injured in New York City traffic between 2001-2010. Today, the Transportation and Public Safety Committees held a joint hearing to examine the NYPD's response to accidents and its enforcement of traffic rules.

The advocacy group Transportation Alternatives found 60% of crashes that injured or killed pedestrians were caused by drivers violating the law. It wants a task force created to crack down on those who speed and drive while distracted. Meanwhile, lawmakers in Albany are considering stiffer penalties for careless drivers who cause accidents. What do you say?

How frequently do you see traffic laws broken? Should police officers crack down on violators more than they already do? What suggestions do you have to cut down traffic-related deaths and injuries?

Send your thoughts using the link above.

Make cyclists respect traffic rules. I don't know how many times I've been hit or had near misses from cyclists going to wrong way down one way streets and/or ignoring red lights, stop signs, half the time because they couldn't see them since they were going the wrong way.

Camille

As a New York driver I am always on edge when driving in busy areas of the city, I think all seasoned drivers must expect people j walking, not paying attention at the crosswalk, and buses cutting you off.

Anthony

I am supportive of cycling, but before the police enforce violations for motorists, they need to enforce violations for cyclists. Cyclists should wear helmets and use lights at night. It makes me mad when I am driving when a cyclist puts me a risk of hitting them because I can't see them at night and they don't wear a helmet!

Patricia

Too many cars in midtown where I live and area is becoming more residential. Blame Sheldon Silver for not supporting plan for congestion plan as many other major cities worldwide have implemented. Priority should be given to walkers, bikers, and mass transit for transportation, not cars!!!

Elizabeth

How many pedestrians have been killed by bicycles? What are we talking about here?

Bobby G
East Village

I feel the bike riders should get mandatory traffic education , - (and this should also be a mandatory subject in elementary schools),

a) learn the traffic rules
b) get fined if rules not followed
c) bikes should be equipped with
1) light in front and back
2) reflecting pedals
3) loud bell
d) helmet should be mandatory to avoid deathly traffic accidents
e) bicyclists should give a hand/arm sign when they wish to turn, change lanes, etc.

I have been knocked over twice by bikes which came the wrong way and raced into orderly crossing pedestrians.

Traffic Police should be better trained. Case and point is Delancey Street to and from the Williamsburg Bridge. No traffic police - traffic moves well or ok with the automatic traffic lights. With traffic police = holy mess, cars backed up for many streets, e.g. into the north-south avenues.

Kate, Gramercy Park Area

D.O.T needs to change the traffic light system...there's a traffic light on Penn Station 32 st/7ave..the pedestrian lights are the same @ both directions...then the traffic proceed after..if all the traffic lights were set up that way ..NYC..would be a safer place 2 walk and travel

mike from brooklyn

First: Drivers need courtesy training. That is the only reasonable thing to do.
Second: Policy makers progressively decrease the time to cross streets so everyone has to run. People need time. Delancey and Allen Sts is a prime example of inability to even reach the median.

Wes
LES

It is law that a bicyclist is entitled to an ENTIRE car lane should there not be a designated bicycle lane... it says so on the DMV manual... check it out

Juan

Jay walking saves lives! I know this sounds crazy but it is safer to cross the street in the middle of a block than risk your life in a crosswalk.

John from Bay Ridge

Let me say, one of the most dangerous and unlawful things I seen and know. There Are Drivers who are on Drugs driving. I have seen people pull up to a Methadone Clinic, Park there SUV, go into the clinic, get their Methadone and drive away. I know another Driver who for years and still doing it, drive around in his car after taking Angel Dust,, These are some of the reasons serious Accidents are taken place. There should be a way that ever driver once a year has to get a drug test.

Jim-Inwood

In otherer heavily populated city around the world, bicyclists have the right of way, followed by pedestrians and last, motor vehicles... how ever, this is NYC... everyone feels indestructible... especially the pedestrians, who feel "they HAVE to stop, what are they going to do, run me over?!" And yup, that's exactly what happens...

Juan

In my opinion the guilt is across the board. Cyclists cut out in front of motorists and don't follow the rules of the road, including stopping at red lights before entering the crosswalk. Pedestrians jaywalk and they stand in the gutter rather than on the sidewalk when waiting for the light to change. Motorists speed, cut each other off and make turns without signaling. However, having said all that, once cops start writing all these summonses and enforcing the rules, then everyone gets in an uproar that too many tickets are being issued. It's a no win situation for the police.

Freddie from Springfield Gardens

I WANT TO KNOW IS THERE ANY LAW FOR PEDESTARIAN AND CYCLIST, WHO WALK DANGERIOUSLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR CROSSING ON GREEN LIGHT PROUDLY TO STOP THE TRAFFIC AND TALKING ON THE MIDDLE OF INTERSATION ON PHONE AND CYCLIST CYCLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC INSTEAD OF CYCLE LINE (CYCLING IS NON-SENSE IN TRAFFIC CROWDED CITY).

ANONYMOUS

Stop U-turns in intersections
Stop cell phone drivers
Stop aggressive left turners
Enforce double parking rules
Enforce the laws NYPD!!!

Jahn

The real problem lies with the bikers: They are the most dangerous because they create their own rules! Riding on sidewalks, cutting through cars, I have been hit multiple times by bikers, abiding by crosswalk law. NYPD must create bike laws that are strict.

Allyson

Has NYPD management ever visited other cities to examine if speed cameras are a useful technique? We need speed cameras set up on major roadways and more enforcement with speed traps set up by NYPD. Residents can hear the speeding at night on Hylan Boulevard and it is rare that NYPD is even on patrol never mind pulling over drivers. This is just obvious that NYPD staffing needs to be redeployed to traffic enforcement for such a critical problem.

Similar to the tragedy mentioned in Bushwick, there was a bicyclist killed by a hit and run driver near Wagner College on Staten Island on Sunday. The week before a pedestrian was killed crossing the street in Grant City. The drivers need to be controlled here with a serious effort for more enforcement for drivers who speed and ever-increasing numbers of drivers on cell phones.

John, Oakwood

Pedestrians need to be held more responsible. If a car runs a red light they get a ticket however you rarely see a person that is jay walking, or standing in the middle of the street trying to get across while drivers have a green light get a ticket and I see a lot more people jay walking then people running red lights.

David
Yorkville

Police should absolutely crack down on those restaurant food delivery bicycle messengers who consistently either ride on the sidewalks, threatening pedestrians and running over kids, or they ride the wrong way on the streets. This is just selfish, lazy, not safe, and really dangerous for anyone crossing the street. I've come so close to getting hit by these clueless messengers because they don't pay attention to the street rules, or give pedestrians the right of way. They ride right into traffic and cause problems. Cops should absolutely police these guys and fine the restaurants that employ them.

Val from Tribeca

I think the State of New York should be named first as the defendant then the commissioner second as defendant for every accident. If they want to license and take a secured interest in every private automobile at gun point by the police department, they should take responsibility. Especially when the term driver means employed in the service.

Planet

I would like to see the NYPD enforce the traffic laws even if it means creating a new traffic enforcement division. The revenue collected would more than make up for any budget shortfalls.

Jahn

I've seen more accidents and deaths from the yellow cabs, as well as almost having been hit several times a month by a yellow cab. How come we never see them being pulled over? They also cut off so many drivers that can and have caused accidents.

Kelly

Truck & automobile drivers in NYC do NOT abide by the law re: cell phones, texting, eating, reading, etc. They are not courteous .... instead they are contemptuous towards bicyclists in Manhattan, Brooklyn & Queens. They seem to have a vendetta against bicyclists yet respect the space of pedestrians much more. If you read various blogs on this subject you'll see posts from auto drivers who express hatred & disgust; they do not wish to share the road with anyone on a bicycle. The aggressive drivers who break the law and/or put bicyclists at risk need to be punished with legitimate summons & perhaps more serious repercussions for repeated behavior.

Dave (BROOKLYN)

I live near the Queensboro Bridge and I can tell you that cars exiting the bridge towards 1st Avenue treat the red traffic light as if it were a dare to blow through it. If the city put one of those cameras here they could write enough tickets to put the budget into surplus.

Bruce
UES

Get rid of the idiot Sadik-Kahn, get rid of the bike lanes and pedestrian plazas and walkways and crack down on speeding drivers via cameras. Most of all, get rid of the idiot Sadik-Kahn! We will be a better, safer city when we are free of Sadik-Kahn and Bloomberg! Total disasters who are trying to turn New York City into Paris or some other Continental city. The out-of-town hipsters are the only people who use the stupid bike lanes and they shouldn't have that much sway.

Frances
East Village

Hi John,

I'm glad you're having this discussion tonight. It appears motorists are emboldened to disregard the traffic laws as there are usually no consequences once the driver remains on the scene often not even a ticket is issued. It's really becoming scary to walk the streets. Vehicles making left turns are the worst; one nearly ran me over in an intersection. I remember when I used to work in California how different the traffic laws are. Vehicles cannot be inside the intersection with pedestrians unlike here yet California has a lot more traffic than New York City. Drivers here have a license to kill and maim and some even speed away never to be found.

Wayne
Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn

John,

I'd like to see some more enforcement of "don't block the box" outside of Manhattan. For example, there is a persistent problem at Union Street and 8th Ave in Brooklyn, weekday mornings near the end of rush hour. Eastbound traffic fills the block up to the crosswalk (on the east side of 8th ave, used by pedestrians to cross Union St), and there is often obviously not room for another vehicle to fit without blocking the intersection. Even I, a non-driver, can see that. Yet these entitlement-mentality drivers STILL continue through and block it. Very often their car even protrudes right into 8th Ave, where traffic is one-way northbound, and tends to go fast.

Faye from Brooklyn

Why always the drivers? What about the pedestrians that run or walk on the right side of the road, with the cars coming from their back? There is a law to that effect, but pedestrians do not pay attention. Why is so difficult for pedestrians to protect themselves?

Enrique,
Flushing

Almost every time I am out driving, I see traffic laws broken - jumping stop signs, failure to signal, talking on cell phones, tailgating, etc, etc. Police officers should definitely crack down more on violators. More so than just for cell phone use. One suggestion is for police officers to actually monitor the roads instead of waiting for a car with a phone talking driver to drive by and pursue it.

Jessica
Arden Heights, Staten Island.

John,

Take all the cops who are conducting warrantless searches and put them to work on traffic issues and other real crimes.

Joe
Port Richmond, SI

Cracking down on reckless drivers in a hard undertaking, but we must use all the resources possible to end the reckless speeding that is placing city residents in such grave danger.

Felix
Bay Ridge

Every workday I walk down Crossbay Boulevard in Queens to the subway. I noticed the cars do not want to stop for pedestrians and several would have no problem in knocking you down. I contacted the 106th pct and they came out once and did nothing. Everytime you walk outside you take a risk because in NYC the cars always have the right of way.

Lawrence (the independent)
Howard Beach NY

Why all of this concern now? I could never figure out why there was so much coverage about how dangerous Queens Blvd. is. We have had that problem in the bronx on the Grand Concourse. All of this has been going on for years and years and I can give you an example when a complaint is made it takes forever and ever for whatever department they are calling to even respond much less make the area in question safer for us pedestrians. Not only do we have to deal with cars racing around the corner when we have to cross but another hazard is when they have parked vans on street corners and that creates a very dangerous blind spot. I can single out another one and that is crossing a very busy thorofare and whether they ask for a full stop sign or a traffic light or an officer to direct the traffic the response alone just takes to long and so that leads me to believe that the complaint is being ignored.

SO I ASK THE SAME QUESTION AGAIN. WHY ALL OF THE CONCERN NOW. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE ALL THAT WASTED ENERGY JUST TO PLEASE CERTAIN PEOPLE. SOMEONE STILL HAS TO PROVE TO ME THAT THESE POLITICIANS WORK FOR ALL OF US.

Thank you John as always,

maxxiee
mp

If you want to cut down on traffic fatalities, stop calling them “accidents” as if no one is at fault. They are “crashes” that are caused by the way people drive, by the things they do and don’t do. Drivers should be held accountable for their irresponsible behavior. There should be a penalty for taking a life. When drivers get that message, then maybe things will change.

Al
Yonkers NY 10704

As a pedestrian you have responsibilities such as staying on the sidewalk until you have the right away. We have people trying to beat the light. Some pedestrian don't realize drivers don't always see them at night they are dress in black or dark colors and jay walking. I'm not only a driver I'm a pedestrian and you will be amaze that to see pedestrian wait for the light to change but they are off the side walk. Speed bump are needed in more area.

Keval W from Brooklyn

I'm originally from NYC, spent most of my life on the upper west side. NYC is already a fast paced society. Based mostly on the dollar and how to get it. The tighter things get, the faster people walk and drive. And because of this unite distraction on everyone's mind, the caution otherwise taken is simply forgotten about.

John.

I have been complaining since I have moved here in 2000. From Linden Blvd driving down Malta street, cars are constantly running the stop signs. I complained and there was a 3 way stop sign placed, but to no avail, it does not work. From Alabama Ave going down Hegeman Ave towards Williams Ave. in Brooklyn, same thing, the stop sign means nothing. I have complained to DOT Commissioner and the Boro President's office. Once a DOT car came and sat for about 3 hours. I have recorded at least 10 accidents where at least 6 have gone to the hospital. These intersections are horrendous. Threre is a SUV club that comes by and one SUV will block Hegeman Ave while the others run right thru the stop signs like they own the street. This is constant, especially between the hours of 6a.m. to about 7p.m. even on the weekends.

Patricia

My opinion is that the drivers are driving too fast in residential areas and pedestrians are crossing against the light, walking in front of cars. I see pedestrians with strollers crossing against the light, maneuvering the strollers in front of cars. They should be given a ticket and acs should be notified. Also, the police themselves should stay off their cell phones while on duty. I often see them texting or talking on their cell phones while driving (whose giving them a ticket?) the young drivers are the worst - both sexes. Loss of life means nothing to these careless drivers.

Cynthia
Jackson Heights

I'm glad that you are discussing this topic on tv. It really merits attention. I live in Washington Heights near Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. There is a lot of police presence here, yet, drivers speed up broadway towards the George Washington Bridge and make fast left turns by Haven and Fort Washington avenue. Nothing gets done by the police. I have had some really close encounters with speeding cars in my neighborhood lately and it worries me. The police need to use their speed meter, position themselves in the proper location, enforce the law and defend pedestrian safety.

Also, by the Little Red Lighthouse Park, bikers ignore the speed limit and turbo bicycle down the hill and through the park, posing a very serious danger to pedestrians. Park safety vehicles will be right there, but, again, nothing gets done. It's reckless endangerment. There's no excuse for police to permit these violations.

Maritza
Washington Heights

There should be a pedestrian rule book distribution by DOT & DMV that should include some traffic rules & vehicle traffic laws that will increase awareness of do's & don'ts Willie gamble

Willie

I know I'm late but in case its online..NYPD blocking traffic to write a summons esp when spot next to them shud be a felony!

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