Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Study
Don’t Cut Corners: Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Study
New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) developed Don’t Cut Corners: Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Study to advance New York City’s Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. In 2016, Mayor de Blasio prioritized the reduction of such crashes, noting that left turns account for more than twice as many pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities as right turns and over three times as many serious injuries and fatalities. DOT took an exhaustive look at the problem of left turn pedestrian and bicyclist injuries (including fatalities) in New York City, querying five years of citywide crash data, manually reviewing 1,105 crash reports drawn from the most problematic locations citywide, and analyzing 478 intersections where treatments were installed. The study relies on these findings to provide recommendations for additional engineering, planning, and education efforts to prevent and mitigate left turn failure to yield pedestrian and bicyclist injuries. DOT prepared this study pursuant to Local Law 21 of 2014.
Download the full Report: Left Turn Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Study – Final Report (August 2016) (pdf) Read the press release about the Left Turn Traffic Study
Flashing Yellow Arrow Turn Signals
Turn signals reduce injuries for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as improve safety, comfort and mobility for motorists. This video shows two examples of flashing yellow arrow left turn signals in New York City.
Left Turn Traffic Calming Treatments
Read more about the Left Turn Traffic Calming treatments
Shown below are some examples of Left Turn Traffic Calming treatments installed in New York City in 2016.
DOT installed a hardened centerline at 10th Avenue and 34th Street in Manhattan
DOT installed a hardened centerline at Columbus Avenue and 81st Street in Manhattan
DOT installed a slow turn wedge at 89th Avenue and Merrick Boulevard in Queens
DOT installed a slow turn wedge at 92nd Street and 56th Avenue in Queens