State senate looks to add pedestrian safety to driver’s ed

March 24, 2016 By Paula Katinas Brooklyn Daily Eagle

Marty Golden says people learning to drive should be taught pedestrian safety. Photo courtesy of Golden’s office

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Forty-eight pedestrians were struck by vehicles and killed on Brooklyn streets in 2014, according to state Sen. Marty Golden, who cited statistics from the New York City Department of Transportation. Another 3,559 pedestrians were injured in accidents.

Golden (R-C-Bay Ridge-Southwest Brooklyn) said that part of the solution to this problem is to improve driver’s education.

The Republican-controlled state Senate has passed a bill Golden sponsored that would add pedestrian safety to the driver’s education courses taught throughout New York state. The bill would also add bicycle safety to the courses. In 2014, Brooklyn saw six fatalities involving bikes and 1,511 bicyclist injuries.

Golden said his legislation builds upon the lessons that are already taught pertaining to driver safety. Under his bill, topics on bicycle and pedestrian safety become part of pre-licensing courses.

Currently, New Yorkers learning to drive receive lessons covering various subjects like road rage, driving while impaired and exercising caution to avoid crashes.

Golden said the passage of his bill sends “a strong message that we need to do a better job at protecting the bike riders and those walking on our streets.’

If the bill becomes law, lives will be saved, he said.

“By teaching about pedestrian and cyclist safety, and how better to share the road, we will save lives and prevent injuries. The safety of pedestrians and bicyclists is the key to safe streets for all New Yorkers and I urge my colleagues in the Assembly to approve this bill this session,” he said.

John Quaglione, Golden’s deputy chief of staff, told Community Board 10 at a March 21 meeting that the bill has an Assembly sponsor and is likely to come up for consideration in the Democratic-controlled legislative chamber. Assemblymember Walter Mosley (D-Fort Greene-Clinton Hill) is the sponsor.

Mosley’s bill has been referred to the Assembly’s Transportation Committee.