The document summarizes New York City's new "Vision Zero" plan to eliminate traffic fatalities. Key points of the plan include: - Increased enforcement of traffic laws like speeding, failing to yield, improper turns, and using phones while driving - Expanding red light and speed cameras and exploring systems to pause taxi meters for speeding - Overhauling 50 intersections/corridors per year and enhancing lighting at 1,000 intersections - Installing 250 speed bumps and expanding bike paths - Focusing on driving violations rather than jaywalking as the mayor views unsafe driving as the central problem

1. Page 6 · Richmond Review Friday, February 28, 2014
www.richmond.ca
Thompson Community Centre
5151 Granville Avenue
604-238-8422
Open House – Rompers and Terra Nova Nature Preschools
2014/2015 school year
Wednesday, March 5, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Tour the facility, meet the teachers and explore the classroom. Children
welcome!
Terra Nova Nature Preschool Registration (in person only)
This first outdoor-based preschool in Richmond offers a unique educational
experience. Find out more at www.richmond.ca/naturepreschool.
Wednesday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Rompers Preschool Registration (in person only)
Saturday, April 12, 9:00 a.m.-noon
Both preschools are open to children born in 2010 and 2011, and have five day
options available.
On registration day, please bring:
• a copy of your child’s birth certificate
• a $40.00 non-refundable registration fee;
• 10 post-dated cheques or a credit card.
NEW
Thompson Community Centre
Open House - March 5
Rompers and Terra Nova
Nature Preschools
REGISTRATION DATES
Personal Injury Law, ICBC Claims
“Experienced representation for serious injuries”
604-273-8518 • Suite 300-5900 No. 3 Road, Richmond
www.hughesco.com • Free Initial ConsultationLaw Corporation
Advertising Feature
O
ne would hardly describe residents of
the ‘Big Apple’ as ‘complacent.’ New
Yorker ‘feistiness’ is legendary. Their
latest fight is against road carnage, although
by any measure the situation had become
intolerable. NYPD statistics recorded 176
pedestrian fatalities in 2013. In the first two
weeks of 2014, eleven people were killed on
NYC streets, seven of whom were pedestrians.
Inonenight—January10th,2014—atour
busfatallystruckanddraggedanelderlyman
onBroadwayandWest96thStreetatabout8:15
pmandthen,40minuteslater,ataxiturningonto
West97thStreetstruckandkilled9-year-old
CooperStockcrossingWestEndAvenuewith
hisfather. AttendingavigilforMr.Stock,one
neighborisreportedtohavesaid,“Wewanttosee
actionnow. It’sveryeasytopaylipservicetoit.
Somethinghastochange.Nooneelsecandie.”
New York City’s new mayor, Bill de Blasio,
appears to have taken heed. In mid-January,
Mayor de Blasio announced he was striking
an inter-agency task force that would develop
strategies to eliminate deadly traffic accidents,
“especially those involving pedestrians.” A
month later—mid-February—the New York
Times reported the Mayor’s release of a 42-page
plan “rooted in a Swedish street safety approach
known as Vision Zero, which treats all traffic
deaths as inherently preventable.”
The New York Times summarized the highlights
of the plan as follows:
• Increased NYPD precinct-level enforcement
of speeding.
• Widening parking lanes to keep delivery
vehicles out of travel lanes while double-parked.
• Lowering the citywide speed limit from 30 to
25 miles per hour.
• Expanding the installation of red-light and
speed-tracking cameras that issue tickets
• Increasing the enforcement of violations like
failing to yield, improper turning or using a
phone while driving.
• Exploring the use of an automated system that
could pause a taxicab’s meter if a driver exceeds
the speed limit.
• Having the Taxi and Limousine Commission
form an “enforcement squad” to focus on
dangerous cabdrivers, and begin a pilot
program to install “black box” data recorders in
the city’s taxis and limousines.
• Having the NYC Transportation Department
overhaul 50 intersections and corridors each
year to improve visibility and ensure “more
predictable movements”.
• Enhancing street lighting at 1,000
intersections.
• Installing 250 speed bumps.
• Expanding bike paths.
Somewhat surprisingly, anti-jaywalking
initiatives were not emphasized in the report.
The NYPD on its own initiative has reportedly
been increasingly active with respect to anti-
jaywalking enforcement issuing 215 jaywalking
summonses through February 9th compared
with 27 over the same period in 2013. The
report focused more on driving violations.
As Mayor de Blasio explained, “The central
problem is related to our vehicles.” And he said,
“Our lives are literally in each other’s hands.”
New York’s new Vision Zero plan grabbed
international attention when, two days after
its release, a two-vehicle SUV caravan driving
Mayor de Blasio to City Hall was reportedly
captured on video “speeding, running through
a pair of stop signs and not signaling a lane
change.” The point should be made, however,
that the transportation of political leaders often
involves security issues that result in driving
procedures that are out of the norm, and are
directed by police and security officials.
…by Cedric Hughes, Barrister & Solicitor
with regular weekly contributions from
Leslie McGuffin, LL.B.
THETHE
ROADROAD
RULESRULES
www.roadrules.ca
Cedric Hughes Barrister & Solicitor
New York City and Vision Zero
for Pedestrian Injuries
Age:23
HighSchool:Richmond
High
M
argaret Lau
was 12 when
she signed
up to join Richmond’s
youth organization
that calls itself aWave
of Adventure.
The Royal Canadian Sea
Cadets offers youth an
experience unlike most
others.The Richmond
group—195 Bicknell—
taught Lau leadership,
independence, teamwork
and how to overcome
challenges.
Lau stayed with the
group for over six years,
making lifelong friends
who would help her
become the person she
is today.
A graduate of Rich-
mond High’s International
Baccalaureate program
who completed her
early years of learning at
Blundell Elementary, Lau
recently left her family
and friends behind for
Toronto, where she now
works for Procter and
Gamble.
Lau studied com-
merce at University of
B.C., graduating with an
honours degree last year.
Family helped guide her
to the business program.
Her dad was an entre-
preneur who arrived in
Canada with nothing, but
found his way to provide
for a family of six. Lau said
her older siblings studied
in other fields, and busi-
ness seemed like the right
choice for her.
Her career, for now,
has taken her east, but
Lau is already missing
her hometown and its
multicultural flair and
great food.
Inspiration? “My fam-
ily and friends inspire
me everyday to be a
better person. I care so
much about them that I
would want nothing but
for them to be proud of
me and for them to be
happy. My teachers from
elementary school, high
school and university
have been nothing but
supportive and nurtur-
ing of my dreams as
well. I am very lucky to
have such great people
in my life.”
Mostproudof?“I
have won awards and
recognition before, how-
ever, all of these seem
insignificant now that I
have moved away. I am
most proud of being able
call the community of
Richmond my home.”
Advice?“Never stop
learning. Keep amazing
people in your life. Be you
and be happy.”
—MatthewHoekstra
Margaret Lau now works at Procter and Gamble.
Margaret Lau business professional