New York City (NYC) has recently been coming down hard on speeding and other traffic laws in order to make the city’s roads safer for all drivers and road users. When it comes to driving, speeding is one of the biggest concerns for lawmakers and traffic law enforcement. Accounting for approximately one-third of road-incident accidents and fatalities, states and cities alike have been cracking down on speeding laws to prevent drivers from recklessly driving over the speed limit.
NYC comes down hard on road laws
Speeding has not been the only concern in NYC. The city, which boasts a population of over 8 million people, has seen some of the strictest driving measures put in place in recent years to make the roads safer. For example, the city recently announced that it would be implementing automated speeding cameras in working zones to protect the safety of workers, where you could be charged up to $100 if caught speeding in these zones.
“Governor Hochul has said since day one of this budget process that public safety is her top priority,” said a spokesperson for Hochul’s office. “Expanding this successful program to MTA Bridges and Tunnels is one more way the Governor is working to improve safety on our roads and bridges for workers and travelers alike.”
Additionally, by the end of 2025, the city will have reduced the speeding limit from 25mph to 20mph. This initiative was spurred after the passing of “Sammy’s Law”, instead of the death of twelve-year-old Sammy Cohen in a speeding-related accident. The reduction has been gradually applied throughout the city through the duration of this year to have the whole city driving at 20mph before the end of the year.
New 15mph law in NYC
While passenger vehicles are seeing a reduction to 20mph, other forms of transportation are not off the hook. Mayor Eric Adams recently announced this month that e-bikes would be seeing a reduction in their maximum speed limit to 15mph. Previously, the city did not have a specific speed limit for e-bikes, with these vehicles abiding by the same rules as passenger vehicles.
The New York City’s mayor’s official statement on the decision describes how the bikes are becoming a hazard to pedestrians:
“I have heard, over and over again, from New Yorkers about how their safety — and the safety of their children — has been put at risk due to speeding e-bikes and e-scooters, and today, our administration is saying enough is enough: We are implementing a new 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for e-bikes and e-scooters that will make our streets safer,” said Mayor Adams.
Concerns over the effectiveness of the new speed limit
While the new speed limit for e-bikes is intended to ensure increased safety, critics have been skeptical over whether or not it will actually work. It may have been noted that it is hard to enforce speed limits on e-bike users, as well as citing that the bikes need to have identification systems to ensure that riders can be identified and fined accordingly if the law is to work.
While the city has had notable success with other initiatives, it remains to be seen how a targeted speed limit for e-bike riders will play out on the roads. However, many have welcomed and praised the new speed limit, seeing it as a step in the right direction to regulate the riders of the bikes. Talks of regulating the speeds of the bikes have been in the works since 2024, specifically due to the increasing number of delivery drivers who make use of e-bikes to deliver food to residents, who may speed in order to make more deliveries on one night.
