Advocates Rally Behind Safe Streets
On May 13, advocates from the New York Bicycling Coalition and the New York State Safe Streets Coalition traveled to Albany for a Day of Action, urging lawmakers to pass The Safe Streets Package.
The package consisted of four of life-saving pieces of traffic safety legislation. Just days later, two of the bills; Defined Safe Passing and the Stop Super Speeders Act were passed by the State Senate. These victories show that advocacy is working. As the legislative session nears its end, it is crucial to keep the momentum going.
Stop Super Speeders Act
The Stop Super Speeders Act is a response to the devastating toll of reckless driving on New York’s streets.In March, Natasha Saada and her two daughters were killed in a Brooklyn crosswalk by a driver with dozens of violations and more than $10,000 in unpaid speeding fines. This legislation uses proven technology to rein in the small number of drivers who cause a disproportionate share of serious crashes. It has cleared the Senate and now awaits action in the Assembly.During the Week of Action from June 2 through 6, advocates from Families For Safe Streets are asking New Yorkers to contact their Assemblymembers and leadership to help move the bill forward.
Complete Streets Bill
The Complete Streets bill ensures that all future roadway projects are designed with the safety of everyone in mind.This includes people who walk, bike, take transit, drive, or use mobility devices regardless of age or ability. The Complete Streets Maintenance bill, a priority bill in the New York Safe Streets Package, updates this law to ensure road projects serve all users, not just drivers. AARP New York is leading the charge with a time-sensitive petition urging lawmakers to act now and support Complete Streets for everyone. With the legislative session ending soon, signing the petition is a powerful way to help. On May 13, the New York Bicycling Coalition and New York StateSafe Streets Coalition joined AARP in Albany to push this message. Now, advocates ask New Yorkers to sign, share, and contact their legislators to keep the momentum going.
Defined Safe Passing
Defined Safe Passing would create a statewide requirement for drivers to leave at least three feet of space when overtaking cyclists, pedestrians, or wheelchair users. New York is one of only a handful of states that still lacks this basic standard. The bill passed the Senate following the Day of Action and now needs support in the Assembly. Advocates are encouraging people across the state to reach out to their representatives and the Assembly Transportation Committee and visit our New York State Safe Streets Coalition Action Form.
Stop as Yield Bill
Another priority is the Stop as Yield bill, which would allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yields and red lights as stop signs. This practice, already law in several states, helps reduce crashes and encourages the use of quieter, safer streets. In New York City, police have begun issuing criminal summonses for safe and common cycling behavior, disproportionately affecting Black and brown riders. This bill provides a path forward for smarter enforcement that respects both safety and equity. This week, lawmakers in Albany are meeting to decide which bills will move forward this session. So we need supporters of Stop as Yield (Idaho Stop) to make three quick calls to Leadership.
Call Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins: (518) 455-2585
Call Senator Liz Krueger: (518) 455-2297
Call Assembly Speaker Heastie: (518) 455-3791
Use This Sample Script:
“I’m calling to ask [the elected official] to advance Senate Bill S639 [or] Assembly Bill A7071, Stop as Yield, to a floor vote. No one should be ticketed or criminally summonsed for common, safe cycling behavior. Thank you.”
Day of Action
The May 13 Day of Action proved that public engagement drives results. With two bills already through the Senate we are moving closer to meaningful legislative changes. Now is the time to act. Contact your lawmakers, share the message, and help get the full Safe Streets Package across the line. Together, we can make New York’s streets safer, more just, and more accessible for everyone. Don’t miss this Call to Action!
