NYC unveils traffic safety initiative for darker months

The New York City Department of Transportation has unveiled its new “Dusk and Darkness” campaign, part of a multi-agency effort to educate New Yorkers on the dangers of traveling in the darkness and enforce traffic safety laws.

Darkness will come to New York even earlier on Sunday when the clocks turn back.

“Now in its seventh year, this campaign combines proven tactics to combat elevated rates of fatal crashes during fall evenings when visibility is dramatically reduced,” the Department of Transportation said in a tweet.

The #DuskAndDarkness campaign included a Day of Awareness on Thursday where street teams fanned out across the city to spread information, increased evening and nighttime enforcement from the NYPD, and alerting drivers to the dangers of lower visibility in the evenings/overnight.

“Drivers must operate their vehicles responsibly every time they get behind the wheel, but as our days get shorter, they have a heightened responsibility to drive carefully to keep their fellow New Yorkers safe, especially in the evenings,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.

The city is also reminding drivers to follow the 25 miles-per-hour speed limit to help avoid crashes.