The New York Coalition for Transportation Safety (NYCTS) was the first Long Island-based organization named to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) “First Movers” coalition of Allies in Action, which launched in April. NYCTS is the Walk Safe Long Island campaign’s founding organization, in conjunction with the Long Island Health Collaborative.
“First Movers” are committed to implementing the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) to achieve a collective goal of zero roadway fatalities. Other allies include AAA, Amazon, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Families for Safe Streets, the Governors Highway Safety Association, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Vision Zero Network, and many more.
The DOT’s National Roadway Strategy call to action seamlessly aligns with the work NYCTS has been doing for decades throughout Long Island and Queens to reduce injury and fatality on our roads. They’re committed to moving the needle in a positive direction alongside fellow first movers.
A big part of NYCTS’ work is their Walk Safe Long Island (WSLI) awareness campaign, its website, and all of its other components, including but not limited to:
WSLI’s Advocacy Toolkit to support community members, law enforcement officials, and media take a proactive stance on improving roadways, educating people about safety laws, and enhancing enforcement
Published community survey data
Information on laws, data, and roadway safety news
Educational pedestrian safety programs and Walk Safe with a Doc events
Long Island’s epidemic of traffic injury and fatality is well documented. The New York State Sheriffs' Association’s Crash Dashboards show that from October 2021 to September 2022, there were 34,704 crashes, 11,670 people injured, and 86 people killed in Nassau County crashes. During the same time period, there were 35,575 crashes, 11,842 people injured, and 117 crash fatalities in Suffolk County.
Read NYCTS’ full commitment to action and more about the Allies in Action coalition here. Also save the date for the USDOT’s Allies in Action Webinar on Monday, October 23 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. during Pedestrian Safety Month where NYCTS will provide an overview of their commitment and current progress. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates about registration for the webinar.
About New York Coalition for Transportation Safety (NYCTS)
NYCTS is a non-profit, statewide organization established in 1982 with the mission to reduce the number of injuries and fatalities occurring on our roadways through outreach and education programs aimed at pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists. Since 1987 NYCTS has received grants from federal, state, local and private agencies to develop and conduct public information and education campaigns in a variety of localities. Types grant funded activities conducted by the NYCTS include assembly programs for children in grades K-12, bicycle safety programs, pedestrian safety programs, school bus safety programs, mature driver and pedestrian programs, bilingual (English/Spanish) programs, programs for children with special needs, classroom instruction in travel training for young people with disabilities, child passenger safety seat installation, and more.
About Walk Safe Long Island (WSLI)
WSLI is a pedestrian and cyclist safety campaign that aims to teach Long Islanders about walking and biking safely through law-based education. WSLI is produced for the New York Coalition for Transportation Safety by the Long Island Health Collaborative, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
New York State is taking numerous measures to tackle the issue of pedestrian and cyclist safety, all of which culminate in the New York State Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (PSAP). The plan emphasizes making streets safer by implementing the “Three Es—” engineering, enforcement, and education. Walk Safe Long Island is part of the third “E,” education.
About the Long Island Health Collaborative (LIHC)
LIHC is a partnership of Long Island’s hospitals, county health departments, health providers, community-based social and human service organizations, academic institutions, health plans, local government, and members of the business sector, all engaged in improving the health of Long Islanders. Collaborative members are committed to improving the health of people living with chronic disease, obesity, and behavioral health conditions in Nassau and Suffolk counties.