Press Releases

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2024
Contact: (212) 839-4850, [email protected]

NYC DOT Unveils New Student Safety Measures to Commemorate International Walk-And-Roll-To-School Day

NYC DOT Releases 'Safe Streets, Safe Schools, Safe Kids,' a Detailed Agency Plan To Keep Students Safe Near Schools and Other Areas Where Injuries Most Frequently Occur

Agency Also Launches Annual 'We're Walking Here!' Competition for K-12 Classes Citywide Contest Challenges Kids To Create Educational Videos That Encourage Pedestrian Safety

NEW YORK - New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced major school-related street safety initiatives to commemorate International Walk-and-Roll-to-School Day, scheduled for tomorrow, October 9. The agency today released Safe Streets, Safe Schools, Safe Kids, a new report that details the agency's plans to keep students safe near schools and other areas where traffic injuries most frequently occur. The plan identifies areas for new street improvement projects as well as additional education and traffic enforcement efforts. These steps build on other measures NYC DOT is taking to keep students safe, including a record 71 Open Streets next to schools, robust educational activities, school zone speed cameras, and reducing speed limits near select schools as part of the agency's implementation of Sammy's Law.

The commissioner also announced the relaunch of NYC DOT's 'We're Walking Here!' (WWH) competition in which schools compete to develop creative public-service announcements (PSAs) that promote walking and pedestrian safety - giving young New Yorkers a unique platform to communicate with New York drivers.

"More so than any students in the country, New York City schoolkids rely on two feet and often two wheels as their means to get to school - and we are working hard to keep them safe," said NYC DOTCommissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "Our detailed plan to prioritize student safety builds on the Adams administration's past successes, including the launch of a record-high number of Open Streets near schools. Our 'We're Walking Here' campaign will also help educate our students in the classroom and tap their incredible talents and creativity."

"Everyday hundreds of thousands of our youngest New Yorkers travel to school to learn, engage with their classmates, and receive critical supports and resources. It is our collective responsibility as a city to ensure every one of them arrives safely, protected from dangerous traffic violations and hazardous road behaviors," said incoming Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos. "I commend our colleagues at the Department of Transportation for their work to promote pedestrian safety, and I look forward to our continued partnership with our city agencies to prioritize the wellbeing of all students."

Celebrated around the world in early October, International Walk to School Day was recently expanded to 'International Walk-and-Roll-to-School Day,' showcasing events to create safer routes for walking, bicycling and micromobility, all designed to emphasize the importance of increasing physical activity among children. The day also celebrates pedestrian safety and builds connections between families, schools and the broader community.

The two major initiatives being announced by NYC DOT today are:

Safe Streets, Safe Schools, Safe Kids - As part of its multi-pronged efforts to keep areas around New York City schools safe from traffic violence, NYC DOT released a detailed report, which establishes Youth Injury Priority Areas - the areas with highest concentrations of youth injuries in the city - where the agency will focus some of the future safety work. The report includes the following goals around street design:

• Install 50 street safety improvements within ½ mile of a school annually.
• Implement 20 or more Street Improvement Projects (SIPs) in the Youth Injury Priority Areas annually.
• Install 50 School Slow Zones annually as part of efforts around Sammy's Law enacted earlier this year.
• Target $73 million in capital projects dedicated to youth safety in the Youth Injury Priority Areas
• Increase the number of Open Streets for schools and implement SIPs on Open Streets for schools.
• Partner with School Construction Authority, Board of Standards and Appeals, and Department of City Planning to ensure student safety is prioritized as part of new school siting.
• Update Youth Injury Priority Areas every five years, in coordination with the NYC Streets Plan

The report also details NYC DOT's other initiatives for school safety, including working in partnership with the NYPD on enforcement. Around education initiatives, DOT's Safety Education Office will expand its in-school programming with the Youth Injury Priority Areas and grow the 7th Grade 'Get Kids Biking Program' to additional schools. New York City Public Schools will also institute a new traffic-safety curriculum.

We're Walking Here! - As part of WWH efforts, students track the number of blocks they have walked over a two-week period and then engage in classroom activities to learn more. The final project is a public service announcement to convey messages the students created during the time that they were out walking and observing the conditions on the city's streets. In past years, dozens of schools from every borough have applied. Interested schools should register as soon as possible to participate in this year's competition by visiting nyc.gov/walkingschools. The deadline for registration has been extended to next Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

This year's competition runs until December 6, 2024, when all draft PSA submissions are due to DOT's Safety Education and Outreach group.

The competition, open to all New York City schools (public and private) includes printed booklets with grade-specific lesson plans developed by DOT's Safety Education and Outreach division, pedometers and other incentives. The first-place winners for this year's competition will receive a $1,000 prize, the second-place schools will receive a $750 prize, and third-place schools will receive a $500 prize. All prize money is provided by the Safe Streets Fund, a private-public partnership dedicated to promoting safer streets, especially among students.

The winning videos will be produced in conjunction with DOT and will be widely distributed on social media channels, through partner agencies and other media outlets.

Last year, students from the Jamaica YMCA Intermediate School 59Q won the competition, with their dramatic video about a traffic crash and its aftermath.

For more information, visit nyc.gov/walkingschools.

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