The 24/7 enforcement of city speed cameras is working, city Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
"This is a great tool that is allowing us to see a change in behavior on how individuals drive," Rodriguez told host Errol Louis Tuesday night on "Inside City Hall."
In the past year, the city says New Yorkers aren't speeding as often, with the cameras issuing 30% fewer speeding tickets.
The city started 24/7 speed camera enforcement on Aug. 1, 2022, after a change in state law was enacted by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Before then, speed cameras only operated weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
"New York City is leading the nation when we compare to any other city across the [United States]," Rodriguez said.
Houston Street in Manhattan has seen the most dramatic drop in speeding, with a 96% reduction in violations, according to the city. And traffic fatalities on city streets dropped by 25% in speed camera zones since the hours expanded.
"For Mayor [Eric] Adams and I, one death is too many, but we know that this is working," Rodriguez said.
Not everyone is happy with 24/7 speed camera enforcement, however.
Earlier this month, David Simon, the creator of "The Wire," complained on X, formerly known as Twitter, about a speeding ticket he received in the city.
"What sort of off-brand city sends me a $50 camera ticket for speeding in a school zone for racing at 36 mph in a 25 zone at — wait for it — 5:40 a.m. in total darkness on a morning in — wait for it — mid-July?" Simon wrote on X.
And some local drivers have said they do not support 24/7 speed camera enforcement in the city.
"We're experiencing a lot during the post-pandemic," John Dorado said in a NY1 interview last summer when the enforcement began. "We have inflation. We have prices going up all over the place. And having another fee that the city is imposing on you could be detrimental to anyone who's suffering right now."