25 Miles Per Hour Limits Could Be Coming Soon To New York

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has announced a statewide effort to prevent speeding. Speeding seems to be the norm on our streets and highways. It is a rare thing when I notice someone doing the speed limit. I tend to go over the limit as well, but not by too much.

The reason for this effort is of course to help prevent avoidable crashes caused by unsafe speed. And that makes sense. The Governor reports that there was an 11 percent increase in fatal accidents in New York State from 2020 to 2021 between drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

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Speed Awareness Week in New York State runs from August 14th through the 21st. During last year's Speed Awareness Week, Governor Hochul reports that 23,087 tickets were issued for speeding. Other vehicle and traffic law violations resulted in 32,170 tickets.

On August 12, Governor Kathy Hochul signed new laws to enhance street safety, prevent traffic deaths, and crack down on hit-and-run crashes. In this legislation, there are two new laws. One will allow New York State municipalities to reduce speed limits to 25 miles per hour from 30 miles per hour. The other will be to increase fines for leaving car crash scenes without reporting them.

Many small municipalities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania have 25-mile-per-hour speed limits, including Little Meadows on Maple Avenue. Currently, in New York State the lowest speed limit a municipality can adopt is 30 miles per hour.

It remains to be seen what communities will take advantage of instituting a 25-mile-per-hour speed limit in their municipality, but don't be surprised if your municipality begins putting up new signs in the near future.

[via New York State Governor Hochul, 25 MPH Legislation]