According to recent data, NYPD officers issued 13% fewer traffic tickets to motorists between April and June 2025 — even as criminal summonses against cyclists skyrocketed. Criminal court summonses (C summonses) against bike and e-bike riders surged from approximately 600 before the spring crackdown to nearly 6,000. Meanwhile, traffic tickets for motorists dropped by over 20,000 in the same timeframe.
This shift in enforcement is not only unjustified — it’s dangerously misguided.
Prioritizing Power Over Safety
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s new policy directs officers to issue criminal court summonses to cyclists for violations such as running red lights, riding on sidewalks, or traveling the wrong way on a street. Previously, such violations were handled with standard B summonses or traffic tickets. Now, cyclists are being dragged into criminal court for infractions that would never result in criminal charges for drivers — despite drivers posing far greater risk to public safety.
The rationale? Tisch claimed that e-bike riders and cyclists operate in a “consequence-free environment” since they don’t carry driver’s licenses. But no evidence has been presented to support the idea that cyclists are more likely to skip court than drivers — and data shows that e-bike crashes involving pedestrians were already on the decline even before this policy took effect.
Misaligned Enforcement in a City Where Cars Kill
The facts are clear: cars and trucks are responsible for the overwhelming majority of traffic deaths and serious injuries in New York City. These vehicles kill approximately 250 New Yorkers every year. Yet instead of increasing enforcement against speeding, red-light-running, or reckless drivers, the city has chosen to target two-wheeled transportation — often used by working-class New Yorkers, immigrants, and delivery workers.
This policy not only shifts the focus away from the real threat — it criminalizes people using more sustainable and less deadly modes of transportation. As traffic attorneys, we’ve seen the devastating toll that negligent drivers take on this city. Criminalizing cyclists while motorists get off with a ticket sends a dangerous message: that New York prioritizes control over genuine public safety.
Real Solutions Require Data-Driven, Life-Saving Priorities
If the NYPD truly wants to save lives, it must focus on the behaviors and vehicles responsible for the greatest harm. That means:
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Cracking down on speeding, red light violations, and failure-to-yield by drivers
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Expanding automated enforcement in high-crash corridors
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Increasing penalties for repeat dangerous driving
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Protecting bike lanes and pedestrian crossings through street redesign
Redirecting police resources away from these core issues and toward criminalizing cyclists does nothing to improve traffic safety. Instead, it undermines trust, escalates confrontations, and distracts from the urgent need to prevent injuries and deaths on our streets.
At Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf, we represent victims of car crashes, truck accidents, cyclist and pedestrian injuries every day. We know where the real danger lies — and we urge city officials to refocus on the vehicles and behaviors that cause the most harm.
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