Beyond the hype surrounding the likelihood that New York will become the first state nationally with a ban on the use of hand-held cell-phones while driving, state legislators are now considering approval of two bills that would seriously degrade pedestrian, cyclist, and driver safety in NYC:

A.9230, S.5561 would allow trucks in NYC to be 5% above their permitted weight limit and would restrict the City to levying just one fine for violating overall weight, axle weight, and wheel weight laws, reducing fines from as much as $4,700 to $300. The Senate has approved its version of the bill. The Assembly will consider the bill in Codes Committee this week. 

A.6819, S.1763 would eliminate NYC's no right-turn-on-red rule on Staten Island. The bills also allow drivers making a left hand turn from one one-way street onto another one-way street to go after stopping at the light without having to wait for it to change. Mayor Giuliani and pedestrian safety advocates vehemently oppose the bill, arguing that the leading cause of pedestrian fatalities in NYC is vehicles turning into pedestrians in crosswalks. 

State New Locus of Cell Phone Debate - May 21, 2001

Killed by Truck - April 2, 1999

Recipe to Worsen Traffic Chaos: Right on Red for Staten Island - May 14, 2001

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