New York Lowers Speed Limit – Now What?

Traffic in New York City has never been great – just ask anyone who has to try to get to work on time. Still, many people choose to jump in their own cars or use taxis to cross the boroughs. The next time you head into the city, however, you're going to have to slow down. 

Slowing down for safety
Mayor Bill de Blasio recently lowered the default speed limit in the city to 25 mph. While this is only a small drop from the 30 mph limit on most streets, it could be a significant one. The Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg told CBS News that the 5 mph decline halves the risk of a fatality in a crash, which is key for protecting the many pedestrians in the area. 

"I think there's a real consensus in this town that we need to have people drive more carefully, more safely and slower for the protection of our kids, our seniors," de Blasio told reporters, as quoted by CBS News. 

The reduction is part of de Blasio's "Vision Zero" campaign, which aims to decrease the number of traffic deaths in the city. This will undoubtedly take time, but fatalities have already declined through 2014 compared to previous years, and the rollout of this new legislation isn't even complete, according to AutoBlog. 

Will drivers comply? 
The law just went into effect, so it remains to be seen if drivers throughout the city will obey the new rule. Many objected to the change initially, fearing increased police presence and speeding tickets. According to The New York Times, however, the city is not expected to increase ticketing – at least not just yet. It will take some time to update and replace street signs as well, and officials don't want to make an enemy of drivers as they get used to the new reduced speed. 

Anyone in or around New York City will need to make sure they comply with these rules – and that means having a vehicle that can handle the braking and accelerating of urban traffic. That's where New Jersey State Auto comes into play. Not only does the auction lot have hundreds of Carfax-certified cars, trucks and vans for sale, but there's also a garage that can address issues relating to driving performance.