The speed limit is lowering in New York, where driving rules change from time to time. Why are there so many changes? Because the roads are not the same in every part, cars are getting more modern and the way people drive change. That’s why authorities have to adapt to all of these situations and look for new ways to make roads as safe as possible, for drivers, cyclers, pedestrians, and anyone using public roads.
The recent change New York is making on driving rules is lowering the speed limit in several roads and special zones. That means you will be fined if you drive faster than the new limit. So, let’s learn more about this new measure.
Why the speed limit is lowering in New York
In 2023, almost one-third of traffic accidents deaths in the United States were caused by drivers who exceeded the speed limit. This data from the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Administration) is one of the main reasons why authorities decided to take action.
One of the things they did was to pass Sammy’s Law in honor of Sammy Cohen, a 12-year old child who was run over by a car and died in 2013. His family, along with road safety groups, fought for so long to make some changes in the law and make the road safer, especially for children.
Thanks to this law, the speed limit will be lowered from 25 mph to 20 mph in several parts. What’s more, in the slow zones there are normally a lot of people walking, shopping areas or schools nearby; that’s why here the speed limit will go from 15mph to 10 mph.
A different change in comparison to other places
In many places in the United States, the way to reduce accidents is to increase fines or even take those driving over the speed limit to jail. However, New York is doing something different: lowering the speed limit for everybody.
This will make every driver go slower in points where accidents could be serious. Authorities hope that with lower speed, accidents won’t be as serious as before.
What about e-bikes?
Of course. This new law is for everybody, e-bikes or electric bikes will have to follow the new measure too. In their case, their speed limit is 15 mph. It’s true before this law they didn’t have any limit on how fast they could go, but after the many incidents with pedestrians authorities decided this law was necessary for them too.
More measures to help citizens
That’s not all! New York is also taking measures to economically help their citizens. How? Well, this year the state announced a special payment because of inflation for people who meet certain requirements. This was done because the cost of living in New York is one of the highest in the whole country. Everything is more expensive: food, houses, transport, and other basic expenses. Although this problem won’t solve this problem forever, it could mean a temporary relief for those who need it.
What this means for the future
These changes prove that New York wants to take care of the security and economic wellbeing of their citizens. So, lowering the speed limit on the roads could save many lives, even though it might seem like a very strict law. These types of laws are thought to be a positive change for drivers and pedestrians.
It’s really important we follow the rules on the road. Think about Sammy Cohen, nobody would like their loved ones to die because someone was driving exceeding the speed limit. What do you think about this measure?