What to Know
- Nearly deserted roads during stay-at-home orders led to a spike in speed camera violations at many New York City locations, according to an analysis by AAA Northeast.
- According to AAA Northeast, Manhattan saw the largest jump in daily speed camera violations with a 149 percent increase.
- The camera at West and Warren streets in Manhattan saw an astonishing 2,232 percent spike in violations. This is the highest percentage increase in the city during the lockdown, according to the study.
Nearly deserted roads during stay-at-home orders led to a spike in speed camera violations at many New York City locations, according to an analysis by AAA Northeast.
From January 1 to March 13, each speed camera in the Big Apple recorded an average of 23 violations per day, according to AAA Northeast.
However, this changed once a lockdown was put into place. From March 16 (the day that schools closed) to May 22, each camera recorded 33 violations per day, which translates to a 43 percent increase.
According to AAA Northeast, Manhattan saw the largest jump in daily speed camera violations with a 149 percent increase.
One of the locations that experienced an increase in violations is the camera at southbound West Street near Leroy Street, which ticketed an average of 381 speeders per day during the lockdown -- more than any other location, the analysis revealed. In total, that camera ticketed 19,027 speeders during the lockdown, an increase of 634 percent. Prior to the lockdown, from January 1 to March 13, with more vehicles on the road, that same camera issued only 2,643 violations, which averages to 52 tickets per day.
Additionally, the westbound camera on Atlantic and Clermont avenues in Brooklyn, saw a 109 percent increase during the city lockdown. From January 1 to March 13, that location saw a total of 7,057 violations, or an average of 136 a day. However, from March 16 to May 22, that same location registered 14,159 violations.
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Meanwhile, the eastbound camera at the intersection of Horace Harding Expressway and Peck Avenue in Queens saw an increase of 26 percent in violations during the city's lockdown.
“Empty roads proved a temptation to exceed the speed limit for many drivers,” said Robert Sinclair, Jr., manager of media relations for AAA Northeast.
The southbound camera at West and Warren streets in Manhattan saw an astonishing 2,232 percent spike in violations. This is the highest percentage increase in the city during the lockdown, according to the study.
Also, in Manhattan, the southbound camera at West and Leroy streets saw an increase of 634 percent in violations, from 2,643 violations prior to the lockdown (January 1 to March 13) to 19,027 violations during the lockdown (March 16 to May 22).
Overall, more than 30 cameras around the city tripled their daily ticket output during the pandemic while 90 cameras doubled the violations issued.
