Leah Shahum, the founder and director of the Vision Zero Network, discusses in a webinar the importance of traffic safety through the initiative of Vision Zero. Vision Zero is a project with the goal of zero traffic injury among all street users, including those walking, driving, or biking. This focuses on traffic safety with a public health approach to provide individuals with safe streets to move around on. Motor vehicle deaths are currently higher than firearms deaths, which is surprising due to the lack of traffic violence in the news and media. 38,000 people lost their lives on the streets last year due to vehicle-related incidents, so it is time to address this issue and make people aware that we are able to control the safety of our streets.
Of course there is no way to prevent all traffic accidents, but many factors often play into why a crash occurred, and it is not always just an accident. For example, it could be related to engineering problems, individual behaviors, or other preventable measures. Two important aspects of crashes that were addressed in the webinar were related to speed and engineering problems. Factors addressing speed issues are simply setting appropriate speed limits, enforcing them, and proper sign placement to make the streets safer. The base of making the streets safer also begins with engineering. Some ways to improve engineering could be having more sidewalks, wider bike lanes, and more space between the road and sidewalk. To do this, an entire community must get involved such as the mayor’s office, police force, and the public health department. It is a team effort focused on measurable goals to bring safety to a community.
Vision Zero has been effective in major cities across the United States, including Fort Lauderdale, Washington, D.C., and New York City with lower traffic-related death rates as Vision Zero has been implemented. Because of the success in major cities, it would also be useful to use this project in smaller communities and suburban areas as well. No one should be in danger or fearful simply moving around one’s own community. Health practitioners and professionals encourage people to get outside and be active through walking, running, or biking, but to do this effectively, policies like Vision Zero need to be in the environment to provide overall street safety. Practitioners can use this information to influence policy and legislation, promote community education, and change the practices of the community to put Vision Zero into action. Public health professionals can also encourage individuals to be aware of their surroundings when out on the streets, such as looking both ways before crossing and limiting cell phone use. For more information on taking action and an individual’s role in traffic and street safety, http://www.nyc.gov/html/visionzero/pages/home/home.shtml is a useful source.
http://physicalactivitysociety.org/2016/07/06/1958/
