Senator Gounardes Passes Pedestrian Safety Bill

Senator Gounardes Passes Pedestrian Safety Bill

New legislation requires new drivers to learn about pedestrian safety

(Albany, NY)- Senator Gounardes’ pedestrian and cyclist safety bill (S.5228a) passed the New York State Senate this week. This common sense legislation requires instruction in pedestrian and bicyclist safety as part of the drivers pre-licensing course.

Senator Andrew Gounardes said, "Passing this bill is another major step towards making our streets safer. Teaching pedestrian safety and bicycle safety as a pre-requisite to obtaining a drivers license will send a signal that we value the lives of pedestrians and bicyclists throughout the state. This bill aims to create a thoughtful road culture for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike so that all can feel safe in their travels. I am proud to sponsor this legislation and thank my colleagues for joining me in making New York streets safer.”

This is one of several bills Senator Gounardes passed this year to address pedestrian safety in New York City. Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Senator’s Speed Camera bill into law. The newly-minted law expands the school safety camera program from roughly 160 school zones to 750 zones.

According the city records, in the first three months of 2019 more than 3,000 cyclists and pedestrians have been injured in a crash. Thirty-three pedestrian and cyclist deaths occurred within the same time frame.