PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sindhu Bharadwaj, Representative for Brad Lander from New York City Comptroller's Office
2:04:01
·
152 sec
Sindhu Bharadwaj, representing NYC Comptroller Brad Lander, presented findings from a report on street safety in the era of micromobility. The testimony supported Intro 1131 and offered recommendations to improve safety while preserving the benefits of e-bikes and scooters.
- Data showed that riding e-bikes and scooters is more dangerous than sharing the road with them, with 76 rider fatalities between 2020 and 2023.
- E-bikes and e-scooters account for only 1.3% of pedestrian deaths, compared to 96.6% caused by cars, SUVs, and trucks.
- The Comptroller's office recommended strategic supply-side enforcement, holding app-based delivery industry accountable, and investing in high-quality infrastructure.
Sindhu Bharadwaj
2:04:01
Hello, and thank you to the chair for convening this hearing.
2:04:05
My name is Sindhu Bharadwaj, and I am here representing New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.
2:04:11
In light of the city's changing transportation landscape, our office recently issued a report titled Street Safety in the Era of Micromobility, offering a strategic set of recommendations to improve safety and quality of life while preserving the benefits ebikes and scooters offer New Yorkers.
2:04:29
We are pleased to support intro 1131, which advances one of our recommendations to generate better e micro mobility data to inform safer street design and infrastructure for all.
2:04:41
Our report is grounded in data about micro mobility safety.
2:04:45
Data on crashes, fatalities, and injuries involving these vehicles reveals that riding them is much more dangerous than sharing the road with them.
2:04:53
76 ebike and scooter riders died in crashes between 2020 and 2023.
2:04:59
And despite the perception that micro mobility is uniquely dangerous to pedestrians, e bikes and e scooters account for just 1.3% of pedestrian deaths and 2.6 percent of injuries since their statewide legalization.
2:05:12
And for context, cars, SUVs, and trucks caused 96.6% of pedestrian fatalities over the same period.
2:05:20
However, fatalities and injuries involving ebikes and stand up scooters were virtually nonexistent prior to 2020, and the current numbers represent a significant increase since their legalization.
2:05:31
And this trend, combined with the void of proactive management around, micro mobility, contributes to a sense of chaos, disorder, and lawlessness on city streets.
2:05:40
As micro mobility becomes a permanent fixture of our transportation system, it demands a proactive regulatory approach.
2:05:47
And we urge the city council to advance a package of bills to enact the following changes.
2:05:53
1, cut off the supply of unsafe illegal vehicles in New York City through strategic supply side enforcement.
2:06:00
2, hold the app based delivery industry accountable.
2:06:03
And 3, invest in high quality infrastructure.
2:06:07
Beyond these recommendations, our office remains concerned that requiring registration
Sonya Poe
2:06:11
I'm just gonna ask
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
2:06:12
if you could wrap up, please.
Sindhu Bharadwaj
2:06:13
Yep.
2:06:13
Wrapping up.
2:06:14
Would fail to address the root causes of reckless driving and burden individuals and public agencies with unenforceable and ineffective administrative requirements.
2:06:24
We instead urge the council to take a comprehensive approach.
2:06:28
Thank you again to chair Brooks Powers for your work on this issue, and we appreciate your consideration of our testimony.
