DOT makes no bones about effects of speeding with skeleton speed boards

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has chosen a high-trafficintersection along Fourth Avenue as one of the first sites for theinstallation of new skeleton speed boards designed to callattention to the dangers of speeding.

Located on the southbound side of Fourth Avenue, between 38thand 39th Streets in Sunset Park, the new signs will flash an imageof a person walking, next to the words Speed Limit 30, remindingdrivers of the city’s 30 miles per hour speed limit. However, whena car exceeds the 30 mph limit, the sign will recognize it andflash an image of a neon skeleton next to the capitalized words,Slow Down.

According to DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan, the speedboards were designed to remind motorists that speeding is a menacethat endangers everyone on our streets, and to deliver theequally chilling message that speeding kills, and slowing down cansave lives.

Members of Community Board 7, which serves residents of SunsetPark, Windsor Terrace and Greenwood Heights, had previously writtento Sadik-Khan, requesting that Fourth Avenue be first to receivespeed cameras, should that legislation pass through the CityCouncil.

While the proposal has not passed yet, I guess this is theirway of addressing the need, said Jeremy Laufer, district managerof CB 7. If the purpose is to reduce speeding, then we [arelooking at this positively].

The new speed boards is in addition to existing speed boards.Four other skeleton speed boards have been installed in each of theother boroughs. They will eventually expand to include additionalintersections that are considered trouble spots according to DOTspeed studies. The pedestrian safety plan will also includecountdown signals at 1,500 crosswalks citywide.

If a pedestrian is hit by a car traveling 40 mph or faster, heor she is over three times more likely to die than if hit by a carmoving 30 mph.

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