To the Editor:

Our Village Board authorized the purchase of five new automated speed signs for our Village at Monday’s regular meeting of the Croton Board of Trustees. These automated signs, which display the speed of passing vehicles, are a cost-effective way to protect the lives and limbs of residents and visitors of our Village.

Both common sense and Federal Highway Administration research has found that these signs reduce speeding and accidents.

We regularly receive complaints from residents about speeding in our community. However, the reality is that our police force cannot be everywhere at all times. But we can use technology as a force multiplier to help extend the reach of the long arm of the law.

Curbing speeding is essential to pedestrian safety.

A car traveling at 45 mph is likely to kill anyone that it strikes, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. But if the speed is reduced by just 10 mph, a barely imperceptible speed reduction from the driver’s perspective, the chances of being killed plummet–about half of all elderly pedestrians would survive and the chances of a 30-year-old are reduced to 1 in 4.

These signs are just one step in a process. Our Village Board will continue to work with the Bicycle Pedestrian Committee, the Police Department, School District and members of the community to make our streets safer for all.

Brian Pugh, Mayor