BILL NUMBER:S6591

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the administrative code of the city of
New York, in relation to the placement of school crossing guards

PURPOSE:  The purpose of this bill is to require the City of New York
to place school crossing guards on each and every corner of a city
block containing a public or private school serving students enrolled
in any grade between kindergarten through eight. Additionally, if the
said school borders a street with four or more traffic lanes, the City
of New York shall be required to place additional school crossing
guards on the opposite corners of these busy thoroughfares during
arrival and dismissal times as set forth by the school.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:  This bill will amend Section 14-118 of the
administrative code of the City of New York by adding two new
subdivisions to Section 1, "d" requiring a school crossing guard on
each and every corner of every city block containing a public or
private school with students enrolled in any grades between
kindergarten through eight and "e" requiring an additional school
crossing guard be placed at said school on the opposite side of any
street corner with four or more traffic lanes during arrival and
dismissal times.

JUSTIFICATION:  On December 20, 2013, Noshat Nahian, an 8 year old
student was struck and killed on 61st Street and Northern Boulevard
              

while crossing the street on his way to PS 152. There was no school
crossing guard assigned to the corner. In December 2012, Miguel
Torres, an eleven year old student at PS 145 was struck and killed at
80th Street and Northern Boulevard while crossing the street on his
way to school.  There was one school crossing guard on the school side
of the street, however, Northern Boulevard is seven lanes wide and the
student and crossing guard could not interact. No young student should
have to cross a seven lane roadway without proper supervision.

Every school, public or private, that has students enrolled in any
grade between kindergarten through eight should have a school crossing
guard at every corner of every city block containing the said school
for the purposes of assisting in the safe passage of students across
streets immediately surrounding the school during arrival and
dismissal times. Additionally, any street that has four or more
traffic lanes immediately bordering a school should be required to
have at least one school crossing guard on each side of these large
capacity roadways.

In light of a number of preventable traffic related deaths to school
children in my district and a total of 173 pedestrians killed
throughout the City of New York in 2013, the need to ensure the safety
of our students is more pressing than ever. In the first two weeks of
this year alone, traffic accidents killed eleven people. In several
instances of school related traffic accidents, children were crossing
busy thoroughfares with six or more lanes with no school crossing
guards on the opposite corners of the street during school hours. This
bill can and will prevent some of these tragic accidents.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill.


FISCAL IMPACT:  None to the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect immediately