Traffic enforcement across the nation took a significant hit during the pandemic, and in cities like Philadelphia, the numbers are still low, report Emily Badger and Ben Blatt for The New York Times.

In Philadelphia, traffic stops nosedived at the onset of the pandemic in 2020, with police conducting less than half the number of stops compared to 2019. The decline is also attributed to new policies restricting the types of stops officers can make.

Many communities have welcomed this reduction, citing concerns over racial discrimination and the financial burdens associated with traffic stops..

“When you have that lived experience,” said Isaiah Thomas, a Philadelphia City Council member, “you know how demoralizing it can be to be a participant in a traffic stop.”

In 2023, Philadelphia police made an average of 75 traffic stops per 1,000 residents.

However, there’s been reports of a rise in road deaths from 2019 to 2022 as well as in hits-and-runs. In fact, at 58 percent, Philadelphia has the second-highest increase in road fatalities, only behind Memphis.

Read more about Philadelphia traffic enforcement numbers in The New York Times.

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