QUEENS — The Forest Hills police precinct plans to start cracking down on law-breaking drivers, police officials said.
Starting Monday, local police officers along with teams from the Department of Transportation and Taxi and Limousine Commission will work to remind motorists and other road users of traffic safety rules under the city's Vision Zero plan, officials said.
As part of the program, which seeks to reduce traffic fatalities in New York, the speed limit was reduced last year from 30 to 25 mph.
“We are going to remind you: you are supposed to drive 25 miles an hour," said Deputy Inspector Judith Harrison, the commanding officer of the 112th Precinct which includes Forest Hills and Rego Park, at a Community Board 6 meeting.
"It’s not 30 miles an hour.”
Several electronic message boards will be placed at the busiest intersections, such as 71st Avenue and Queens Boulevard and Yellowstone and Queens boulevards, reminding drivers not to text and drive, to wear seat belts and not to speed, police officials said.
A mobile command post will be stationed in front of Sears, near the busy intersection of Queens Boulevard and 63rd Drive in Rego Park, police said. The DOT team will also be present at that corner, the agency said.
The educational phase will end on June 21. The following day drivers and other road users can expect increased enforcement, which will last until June 28, police officials said.
“It’s a combined and coordinated effort between a lot of different agencies aimed at traffic enforcement,” said Harrison, adding that the precinct will receive additional officers during the campaign.
Other precincts have also been conducting similar initiatives, she said.
