Cyclists in New York City could now face criminal summonses for minor traffic infractions under a newly implemented NYPD policy — a move that transportation advocates are calling a dangerous and discriminatory escalation in law enforcement.
The policy shift, which rolled out this week and was first reported by Streetsblog, replaces standard traffic tickets for bicyclists with criminal court summonses for violations such as running red lights or failing to stop at stop signs.
These low-level infractions previously resulted in a civil penalty — known as a “B summons” — that could be settled by mail or in a virtual DMV hearing. Instead, under the new policy, cyclists must appear in person in criminal court, raising concerns of overburdening the judicial system and exposing individuals, especially undocumented immigrants, to arrest or even deportation.