Food for Thought: Wrap up: Vision Zero for Cities

This week’s article is by Transportation Alternatives.

Collectively Drafted Statement of Principles

On Friday, November 14th, 2014, more than 300 urban leaders, policymakers and authorities on traffic enforcement, engineering and public health met with advocates in New York City at the first-ever Vision Zero for Cities Symposium. The historic event brought together representatives from 12 states, 15 cities, more than 20 national organizations and a handful of other countries for expert panels, interactive workshops and breakout sessions focused on tackling the challenges of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries. The day’s conversations culminated in a collectively drafted and affirmed statement of principles intended to guide Vision Zero implementation in cities around the world.

The Vision Zero Statement of Principles is as follows:

Recognize the Vast Scale of Traffic Fatalities and Serious Injuries

Recognize the power of crash survivors and the families of people killed and seriously injured in traffic, and the widespread scale of traffic violence.

Focus Messaging to Promote a Culture of Traffic Safety

Communicate with singular focus on the behaviors that kill and injure the most people.

Ensure Accountability

Ensure the justice system holds individuals accountable for killing and injuring others in traffic.

Institutionalize Collaboration

Institutionalize collaboration across various levels of government and between government officials and the public. Incorporate communities into traffic safety decision-making.

Protect the Most Vulnerable

Prioritize the most vulnerable street users with the goal of creating a culture where everyone knows to think twice and exercise due care.

Employ Data-Driven Enforcement

Employ data-driven and automated enforcement at every opportunity.

Design Forgiving Streets

Design streets in such a way that mistakes made by street users are less likely to result in serious injuries or fatalities.

Fund Safety

Prioritize safety in funding decisions.

Track Progress

Create time-bound goals to track progress toward Vision Zero and regularly re-evaluate strategy.

Empower Professional Drivers

Empower professional drivers to lead by example and imbue them with the understanding that their livelihood depends on safe driving.