New 'No Turn on Red' Signs Installed on Deadly Turnpike

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has installed a number of new "No Turn on Red" signs on Hempstead Turnpike and other streets as part of a "multi-agency initiative to enhance safety on the street."

The signs were added recently and aim to improve pedestrian visibility and safety, according to Eileen Peters, NYSDOT Public Information Officer.

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No Turn on Red (NTOR) signs are currently being installed at an additional 142 locations between the Nassau/Queens border and NY Route 110 to bring the total to 232 locations.

"These NTOR signs also work in conjunction with the leading pedestrian intervals that are being installed on NY Route 24 at traffic signals to encourage motorists to yield the right of way to pedestrians, and also give pedestrians a head start in crossing a street before vehicles are given a green light to proceed," Peters said.

In 2012, a report by the Tri-State Transportation Corporation (TSTC) rated Hempstead Turnpike as the most dangerous road in the region for the third straight year. During this time, a total of 15 deaths were reported, including one in West Hempstead in June 2011 that claimed the life of 22-year-old Salem Enayetullah, of Massachussets.

Do you think the new No Turn on Red signs will help improve safety on the streets? Tell us what you think in the comments below.