NYC seeing uptick in speeding violations during coronavirus lockdown

NEW YORK - There have been complaints from all areas of New York City about drivers speeding due to the reduction in traffic on the roads during the coronavirus lockdown.

The city’s finance department shows that automated speed cameras led to nearly 24,000 speeding tickets being issued in March, almost twice as many as were issued in February, a change that has left some New York residents angry.

“I think the speed camera program has been wrong from the very beginning,” said New York City Council member Joseph Borelli. Borelli says he believes the city should suspend the cameras, most of which are in school zones, claiming they are largely just a moneymaker for the city. 

However, the Department of Transportation says that the speed cameras are aimed at deterring speeding, and that even with fewer cars on the road, drivers should continue to obey the speed limit.