Press Release - 05-24-2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Contacts:
Lisa Koumjian
[email protected]
GOVERNOR’S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AWARDS $468,000 FOR BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROJECTS STATEWIDE
GTSC, DMV Highlight Increased Investment as Bicycle Safety Month Continues
As Bicycle Safety Month continues, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today announced it has distributed more than $468,000 in federal grant funds for 20 bike and pedestrian projects across the state. This year’s investment is a more than 22 percent increase from the funding awarded in 2017 and emphasizes the importance of these enforcement, educational and outreach programs.
“We are committed to making New York’s roadways as safe as possible for all who use them, including bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcycle riders and motorists,” said Terri Egan, Acting GTSC Chair and Executive Deputy Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. “We are pleased to be able to dedicate these funds to help community groups educate our residents and visitors on how to safely share the road. Now that the weather is getting warmer, drivers should expect to see more bicyclists and pedestrians on the road and be prepared to use caution.”
Last year, GTSC distributed $383,355 for similar programs and just two years ago, awarded $140,000. Funding has increased in recent years as part of a growing commitment to reducing bike and pedestrian crashes. GTSC expects to award additional funds later this year.
Programs funded cover an array of activities including bicycle safety education and helmet distribution, pedestrian safety outreach and law-based education. In addition, grants support enforcement of the New York State vehicle and traffic laws pertaining to pedestrian and bicycle safety, and education for law enforcement on the pedestrian and bicycle laws.
Grants are available annually to individual agencies and not-for-profits. The proposals are evaluated based on the needs of the community and an analysis of crash data, along with the overall quality of the work plan.
| Region | Amount | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide | New York Bicycling Coalition | $230,000 |
| Capital Region | Schenectady County Public Health Services | $18,000 |
| Capital Region | Troy City Police Department | $6,000 |
| Central New York | Fulton City Police Department | $2,000 |
| Central New York | Cayuga County Department of Health & Human Services | $13,344 |
| Finger Lakes | Wayne County Public Health Department | $3,355 |
| Long Island | New York Coalition for Safety Belt Use | 40,000 |
| Long Island | Suffolk County Department of Health Services | $61,782 |
| Mid-Hudson | Health Quest Systems, Inc. | $2,900 |
| Mid-Hudson | Goshen Village Police Department | $1,200 |
| Mid-Hudson | Rockland County Department of Health | $43,912 |
| Mid-Hudson | White Plains Department of Public Safety | $9,000 |
| Mid-Hudson | Community Outreach Center | $8,200 |
| New York City | Nachas Health & Family Network | $3,750 |
| North Country | Jefferson County Public Health Services | $13,713 |
| Southern Tier | Steuben County Sheriff's Office | $2,000 |
| Southern Tier | Hornell City Police Department | $500 |
| Western New York | Allegany County STOP-DWI | $3,000 |
| Western New York | Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office | $1,500 |
| Western New York | City of Buffalo | $4,800 |
Last year, preliminary numbers from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University at Albany show there were 6,118 crashes involving bicyclists in New York State. Forty-nine people were killed and 5,994 were injured.
DMV and GTSC both offer advice to riders and drivers on sharing the road. For example, bicyclists should travel in the same direction as motor vehicles, bicyclists must signal turns, lane changes and stops through the use of hand signals, and motorists should be aware that bicyclists have the right to share the road. While helmets are recommended for all riders, they are legally required for children under age 14.
You can find more information on bicycle safety on the DMV website and on at the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee bicycle safety page. GTSC also provides guidance on its Sharing the Road With Bicycles page.
Any bicycle crash that causes death or serious injury must be reported to DMV within 10 days of the incident. For crashes involving motor vehicles, the form to be used is the Report of Motor Vehicle Accident (pdf) (MV-104). For crashes involving bicycles and pedestrians but not a motor vehicle, the correct form is the Bicycle Accident Report (pdf) (MV-104C). Both are available at any motor vehicle office or online on the DMV’s website.
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