Photo: CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP / Getty Images
New York City has launched its annual "Dusk and Darkness" campaign to enhance safety for pedestrians and cyclists during the fall and winter evenings. The campaign, led by the city's Department of Transportation and the New York City Police Department, aims to address the increased risk of traffic fatalities as daylight diminishes following the end of Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, November 2nd.
The NYPD will expand traffic enforcement during the evening and overnight hours, focusing on dangerous moving violations such as speeding and failure to yield. According to Mayor Eric Adams, the campaign is part of the city's Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths. "When the clocks fall back, crashes go up," Mayor Adams stated, emphasizing the importance of this initiative.
The campaign includes increased enforcement and educational outreach. DOT workers have been distributing flyers in areas like Chinatown to raise awareness about the dangers of evening commutes. The campaign also features a "We’re Walking Here" contest, where students create public service announcements to promote traffic safety. The winning videos will be incorporated into a new Vision Zero traffic safety curriculum.
NYPD Chief of Transportation Philip Rivera highlighted the importance of vigilance, stating, "As daylight saving time ends, all New Yorkers should remain alert on our local streets and highways." The campaign has historically improved safety, reducing evening and overnight fatalities by 13.5 percent since its inception in 2016.
As the city prepares for the end of Daylight Saving Time, city agencies and partners also will use social media to alert drivers to the dangers of lower visibility and encourage adherence to the 25-mile-per-hour citywide speed limit.
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