Each year, over 42,000 people needlessly die in America due to traffic collisions and accidents. No matter where you travel, the topic of road safety is always top of mind. To ensure the implementation of road safety measures, many municipalities and cities are making great strides with Vision Zero. So, what is the Vision Zero Plan? Where did it come from? What does it solve? Let’s take a look.
What is the Vision Zero concept?
According to the website, Vision Zero is “a departure from the status quo“, with two major methods of analyzing the way people get behind the wheel of their vehicles. The first method of analysis is to realize that everybody makes mistakes. With this in mind, Vision Zero believes all road systems should be designed to make sure no mistakes result in severe injuries or fatalities due to driving. To do this, the roadway environments, policies, and other systems must see improvements. This is the job of both the designers and policymakers.
Secondly, Vision Zero aims to take a multidisciplinary approach. This involves bringing together diverse and necessary stakeholders to address the complex problem that is road safety. In many cities around the globe, coming up with solutions with people outside of the provincial/territorial government was deemed outside of the norm. With Vision Zero, the plan is to include multiple outside resources, including:
- Local traffic planners
- Engineers
- Policymakers
- Public health professionals
From roadway design, behaviours, policies, and speed limits, many outside factors contribute to safe commuting and mobility. When these factors work together to achieve the same goal of zero fatalities or severe injuries, progression can be made. The essence of Vision Zero is to continuously and preemptively remove any possibility of serious injury or death from our transportation systems. This system prioritizes the safe passage of our most vulnerable populations, whether they are walking or using light mobility devices, such as bikes or wheelchairs.
The history of the Vision Zero road safety plan
The concept of the Vision Zero road safety plan has been around for much longer than many people think. The term itself has been thrown around for years now but was first coined by the Swedish government. Back in 1997, they pledged to eliminate death and serious injury from their roads. Since the program’s launch that same year, it has garnered widespread, global attention. Most notably for its ability to cut traffic-related deaths completely in half. Keep in mind this was done in only two decades.
Vision Zero states that throughout North America, the mindset of “no loss of life is acceptable” is felt by many. It is enforced by engineers, police, and government officials, along with the average citizen. This may seem like they are moving towards zero deaths, but in most cases, they aren’t doing anything worthy of the term Vision Zero. Vision Zero plans to change that have remained the same since the very beginning.
Which countries have a Vision Zero plan in place?
The implementation of a Vision Zero plan has stemmed far beyond just North America. Some countries as a whole have completely adopted a Vision Zero plan as part of an effort to reduce fatalities and serious injuries related to traffic accidents. In 1997, Sweden coined a “Vision Zero” policy that required fatalities and serious injuries to be reduced to zero by 2020. When it comes to a European level, this was a huge change in transport policies. Before 1997, Sweden’s road deaths were on a decline and continued. However, the number of deaths in total hasn’t improved since 2013.
Similar to Sweden, the Netherlands adopted a Vision Zero plan, though their safety approach differs slightly from the traditional. The Netherlands believes that humans are to blame for most accidents. They also believe roads should be “self-explaining, thus reducing the likelihood of crashes. The Dutch also prevent vehicles with differences in mass to not mix. Mopeds, cyclists, and pedestrians are kept away from cars on separate paths above 30km/h. Busses are also given specific lanes, preventing their larger weight from conflicting with ordinary vehicles.
In the United States, multiple cities have followed suit. Major cities, such as New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Boston, have implemented a Vision Zero plan. On top of this, cities such as Los Angeles, Austin, Portland, and Santa Barbara have installed similar campaigns. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Houston, and Cincinnati have not yet adopted a Vision Zero campaign, but are currently in the process of doing so. The Chief Minister of Haryana, India, Manohar Lal Khattar, launched the Haryana Vision Zero program on May 3rd, 2017. This made Haryana the first state in India to officially adopt a Vision Zero approach.
Which Canadian cities are included in road safety plans?
Since the launch of Vision Zero Canada in December 2015, the process of removing traffic-related deaths is gaining momentum. On September 22nd, 2015, the Edmonton City Council announced it was “the first Canadian city to officially adopt Vision Zero.” Its Road Safety Strategy for 2016-2020 has moved towards zero fatal and major injury collisions.
Furthermore, many other Canadian cities and municipalities, such as Hamilton, Mississauga, and Ottawa, are moving towards a Vision Zero strategy. As of 2016, Toronto is also included in the movement to better our roads. Today, there are three provinces, two regions, and 25 cities that are strategizing a Vision Zero road safety plan. Six cities and three regions are still debating how to do so. To view a full map of the areas with current Vision Zero road safety implementation, check out the Parachute.ca map!
What makes a successful Vision Zero Plan?
As momentum around the Vision Zero plan spreads globally, the network believes that achieving a goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries cannot be achieved with a “business as usual” mindset. Thus, they have adopted what they call the nine key components of a strong and successful Vision Zero plan.
Vision Zero’s 9 key components:
1. Political commitment
All community’s high-ranking political individuals should make official and public commitments to their Vision Zero goal within a set time frame. These individuals include the Mayor, City Council Members, and City Managers.
2. Multi-disciplinary leadership
An official task force should be created and responsible for leading the efforts for Vision Zero. This task force should include high-ranking representatives from departments such as the Mayor’s Office, Transportation sector, Public Health, and Police.
3. Action plan
A plan of action should be created within one year of a Vision Zero commitment. This includes clear strategies, targets, timelines, and performance measures.
4. Equity
An equitable approach should be established to VZ. This is done by understanding where the community’s high-injury areas overlap with communities of low-income and historically-disadvantaged communities.
5. Cooperation and collaboration
Commit to encouraging meaningful collaboration among different government agencies and stakeholders.
6. Safe System approach
Leaders should commit to a Safe System approach to traffic safety. This recognizes that people will make mistakes and that accidents happen. Your Safe System should aim to decrease the impacts of human error. Thus, when a mistake leads to a crash, the impact is lessened. Strategy examples include lower speed limits and designing roads to encourage slower driving (think speed bumps and roundabouts).
7. Data-driven
Leaders are encouraged to gather, analyze, and share data that involves roadway safety issues, prioritizing issues that have the greatest need or impact.
- Community engagement: Data alone is never enough to show the full story. Meaningful community engagement should always be prioritized in a Vision Zero plan.
- Transparency: The process should be transparent to the community, stakeholders, and anyone else involved. This includes regular updates on progress, barriers, the Action Plan, and performance measures.
Final thoughts on road safety plans in Canada
In conclusion, the minimization of traffic deaths and injuries is something that every person can get behind. With the help of a successful road safety plan, many provinces and municipalities can strive toward a death and injury-free zone when it comes to our roads. As stated in their methods, accidents are something that are likely to continue. When these accidents occur behind the wheel, having the proper insurance coverage is crucial. If you are currently shopping around or about to renew your policy, contact isure or request a car insurance quote today!
