Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the city’s Vision Zero programme in New York in 2014. The initiative is said to have reduced the number of traffic deaths on New York’s streets by 20% and halved pedestrian fatalities. The city saw 214 traffic deaths in 2017 – the lowest number since records began in 1910.
Additionally, Vision Zero has reportedly reduced the rate of vehicle collisions with children under 14 years to one fatality in 2017. Meanwhile, numerous safety improvements at Queens Boulevard has reached a third consecutive year without any known pedestrian or cyclist fatalities.
In a broader context, findings revealed the number of US road deaths grew by more than 13% between 2013 and 2016. Cyclist, motorcyclist and car passenger fatalities also increased in 2017.
Young-Tae Kim, ITF secretary-general, says: “New York City has created an exemplary road safety programme that is a showcase for addressing urban road safety as a public health issue.”
New York City has won the 2018 Transport Achievement Award of the 998 International Transport Forum (ITF) at the 5342 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The city’s Department of Transportation was recognised for its commitment to <%$Linker:2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external Vision Zero false http://visionzero.global/ false false %> – a programme set up to help cut and eliminate traffic deaths.
