Progressive Democrat Issue 66: NY STATE FOCUS

A bit more than two years ago, on February 9, 2004, at 9th Street and 3rd Avenue in Brooklyn, two 5th graders on their way home from school were mowed down by a truck turning right and killed. The incident was treated as an accident and no charges were filed against the truck driver. I have heard that the truck driver was devastated by the accident. It is likely that a single additional mirror on the truck could have saved the lives of these children.

I remember when those children were killed. I was horrified since I have a child who walks the same streets where those two 5th graders were killed. I frequently see unsafe driving in Brooklyn and have had right turners nearly hit my family and myself more than once. However, sometimes it is hard to tell when such driving is due to an asshole driver (mirrors won’t help that!) or due to a driver who didn’t see us.

My Assemblywoman, Joan Millman introduced a bill, A09704, to the State Assembly to require trucks and tractors within NY City (it doesn’t apply to the rest of the state) to be equipped with convex mirrors that would allow truck drivers to see small children in the crosswalk when turning right. This bill has a fair amount of support, including from Mike Bloomberg. Joan pointed out that this was a rare instance of she and Bloomberg being on the same page about something. However the beer industry is opposing it because it would affect their distribution trucks. This industry has started a campaign to stop the bill, though Joan’s office has not sent me the details on the opposition efforts.

Joan Millman a few weeks ago discussed this bill at an Independent Neighborhood Democrats meeting and I offered to help publicize it and round up support. Here is Joan’s statement on the bill:

Assemblywoman Joan Millman is sponsoring legislation which would require large trucks to be equipped with a convex “cross-over” mirror. This new requirement would substantially reduce traffic fatalities and injuries, especially those involving pedestrians.

Assembly Bill 9704 would ensure that all trucks and tractors in New York over 18,000 pounds be equipped with convex mirrors on the front of the vehicle, which would eliminate blind-spots for truck drivers and allow them to see pedestrians and children directly in front of their vehicle. The danger addressed in this legislation is extensive; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that more than 1,900 people are killed annually in accidents in front of or on the right side of trucks, and more than 17,000 are injured.

Many of these trucks use our local streets and roads every day. There are more pedestrian and cyclist deaths and injuries in New York than in any other state, and a majority of these fatal accidents take place in New York City where pedestrians are always in close contact with large trucks.

“Requiring trucks to install a ‘cross-over’ mirror on the front fender will make the streets a great deal safer for pedestrians and drivers at a relatively low expense to trucking companies,” said Assemblywoman Joan Millman. “If ensuring that every large truck in New York has one of these mirrors will lower the risk of fatal accidents, then it should be required, just like headlamps or turning signals. I am convinced that this legislation has the potential to save lives.”

The cost of a convex mirror is as low as twenty dollars. Additionally, the small cost of the mirrors would largely be offset because they are a legitimate business expense, and because they could result in a better insurance rating.

I ask everyone to contact their State Assembly and Senate Representatives as well as Governor Pataki to express your support for A09704 and its State Senate equivalent, 2210-B.