NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio’s motorcade caught speeding
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s motorcade ran through stop signs, exceeded the speed limit and violated other traffic laws on Thursday, WCBS reported, just two days after the mayor unveiled a 62-point “safe streets” initiative.
The mayor’s motorcade is operated by police, and the New York Police Department told the WCBS that the security personnel receive specialized driving training that focuses on security and safety.
“At certain times, under certain conditions, this training may include the use of techniques such as maintaining speed with the general flow of traffic, and may sometimes include tactics to safely keep two or more police vehicles together in formation when crossing intersections,” the NYPD said in a statement.
When he announced his “safe streets” initiative, de Blasio proposed lowering traffic speeds in New York City from 30 to 25 miles per hour. “The likelihood of a fatal crash drops significantly for speeds below 30 mph. If we get those speeds down, it will be the difference between losing a life and saving a life,” he said.
Yet on Thursday, WCBS tracked his caravan as it traveled 45 mph in a 30 mph zone, and up to 60 mph in a 45 mph zone.
The mayor’s office released a statement saying “public safety is everyone’s responsibility.”
“We also recognize NYPD’s training and protocols, and refer questions related to security and transportation to them,” the statement said.