How the U.S. Could End Traffic Fatalities by 2050

"[F]ederal safety agencies are stepping in with an ambitious strategy to completely eliminate road fatalities nationwide by 2050," according to an article by Alissa Walker.

Walker is sharing insight into the Road to Zero report—released recently by the National Safety Council, working closely with the U.S. Department of Transportation and "over 600 industry groups"—as the first national strategy to eliminate traffic fatalities. 

"Key recommendations from the report confirm that the Vision Zero strategy is working—focusing on physical changes to the urban streetscape that are known to save lives," writes Walker. "The report cites specific improvements as particularly effective, like narrowing crossing distances using curb extensions or reprogramming walk signals to give pedestrians a head start at intersections (known as a Leading Pedestrian Interval, or LPI)."

"The report also champions what’s called a “safe systems” approach for transportation planning—integrating life-saving improvements consistently and universally into every roadway, where unforgiving design currently makes errors deadly," adds Walker.

The article includes a lot more insight into the actions proposed by the report, as well as the traffic engineering and transportation planning context that shapes the need for the report.