Cyclists and pedestrians will now be able to breathe a bit easier when maneuvering the busy streets of NYC as Governor Hochul signed a new bill on Friday, July 15 requiring new drivers to learn about pedestrian and bicyclist safety before obtaining their license.
The bill requires new drivers to understand an overview of their responsibility to exercise care concerning pedestrians and bicyclists. It will also require that pedestrian and bicyclist safety be added to the DMV instruction handbook.
My top priority as governor is to keep New Yorkers safe.
By requiring all new drivers to be educated on pedestrian and bike safety, we’ll make our streets safer, prevent crashes, and save lives. https://t.co/h0G1cyY6cN
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 16, 2022
This isn’t the first time Governor Hochul has had her eye on traffic safety. This past June Hochul signed a bill expanding the use of school zone speed cameras to 24 hours a day seven days a week, and last summer she announced the completion of $11.3 million worth of pedestrian safety projects in both Nassau and Suffolk county.
“My top priority as Governor is to keep New Yorkers safe, and it is common sense to make pedestrian and bike safety education mandatory for drivers,” said Governor Hochul. “This law will help prevent crashes and save lives, and I thank my partners in the Assembly and Senate for passing this legislation to make our streets safer.”