Cities across the continent – from Toronto to New York City – are noticing an increase in driving speeds during this pandemic. This is due, in part, to the fact that cars tend to slow down other cars. Without traffic, those still on the road are more likely to speed. We’d like to remind Seattleites of the role each and every one of us plays in keeping one another safe.
Staying home is helping our communities immensely, but being a hero doesn’t stop there. Stick to the speed limit to ensure the safety of all who use our streets.
Reducing speed limits has a proven safety benefit. A person walking, rolling, or biking is twice as likely to be killed if they are hit by a person driving 30 MPH than someone going 25 MPH. 90% of people hit by cars going 20 MPH are injured but survive.
Vision Zero is our effort to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030.
When it comes to traffic safety & moving toward Vision Zero, it’s about a culture change. It’s a shift from accepting accidents, to preventing crashes and making streets safer for everyone.
We continue to do our part to make our streets safer. Recently, we have:
- Reduced speed limits to 25 MPH on major streets citywide
- Given pedestrians a head start when crossing at many intersections
- Continued to use our Bike and Pedestrian Safety Analysis findings to proactively make safety enhancements across the city
- Added traffic cameras to school zones and intersections
This shift also takes changes from you! What better way to say thank you to our health care professionals right now than to keep our roads safe?
Visit our Vision Zero webpage for more information about how we plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030.