#De Blasio wants 24-hour speed cameras in NYC amid crash uptick

New York City wants the state to authorize 24-hour speed camera enforcement amid a rise in traffic crashes, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

“We’re appealing today to New York state to the legislature to help us do more. To help us save lives,” Hizzoner said during his daily press briefing.

“Help us with the most fundamental step, which is taking what works — speed cameras, they work.”

The city’s speed camera program has grown exponentially since de Blasio took office, and currently consists of thousands of cameras across the city.

But state law limits camera enforcement to 750 designated school zones from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays — neglecting some of the most deadly times and locations.

The city saw a surge of traffic fatalities in 2020, driven by upticks in motor vehicle and cyclist deaths. Three-quarters of the year’s deaths occurred in times or places where state law prohibits camera enforcement, the mayor said.

“We still have too many restrictions holding us back from saving lives,” he told reporters.

“Extending them to greater hours on makes sense, particularly the overnight hours, where we’ve seen, unfortunately, some really horrible moments, and people’s lives lost.”

Hizzoner’s previous push for more enforcement cameras took years to win support among legislators in Albany before finally becoming law last year.

NYPD will be “out in force” to combat drunk driving during the holiday season to further combat the scourge of fatal crashes, de Blasio said. Earlier this year, officials also lowered speed limits on a handful of major roads.

Drivers caught speeding on camera are subject to a $50 fine.