VISION ZERO AND YOUTH

While changing behavior in adults is more difficult to achieve educating the young could have long term benefits. The Safe Routes to School have been around for years. The purpose of the program is to help communities increase safe passage for school children to walk from nearby neighborhoods to their local school.

The Vision Zero and Safe Routes to School programs work well when partnered together. Advocating for the safety of children often has a higher likelihood of being funded than just suggesting improved street corridors or requesting infrastructure improvements. The educational component that can be used while conducting the Safe Route Study can include not only the neighborhood but also the children in having them identify safety issues on their way to school or home. By shifting the train of thought of children to safety, and starting early, good habits and behavior can be formed and reinforced as they get older and start to drive.

What is Vision Zero? /

To read a case study about School Zone Traffic Calming in Portland, Oregon, click here.

WHY CENTRAL INDIANA?

Driving is the most used mode of transportation for people across the United States.

Indianapolis

Indianapolis was designed with the intention that people would use automobiles as their primary mode of transportation. Recently, Indianapolis has begun making efforts in prioritizing safety for pedestrians and addressing multiple modes of transportation. Expanding upon the current infrastructure, Indianapolis is focusing on public transit options, as well as working towards providing adequate bike lanes and sidewalks. The bike and scooter share programs have also created demand for the increase and maintenance of infrastructure across the city. These new additions have brought attention to new problems not just for Indianapolis but across Central Indiana, the state, and the nation. Determining the best solutions to existing problems and trying to prevent new problems from occurring is something that a Vision Zero approach can work to accomplish throughout communities.

Through the City of Indianapolis Pedestrian Safety Planning document, goals been determined for the area. This 2020 Plan focuses on a multitude of things ranging from transportation choice to programming. The Pedestrian Plan is important for Indianapolis because through this list of goals and objectives, it creates an opportunity for other communities to follow in Indianapolis’ footsteps.

Based on the data that has been collected, five key project types that have been determined:

/ along the roadway,

/ across the roadway,

/ off-street,

/ major barrier removal, and

/ placemaking.

This document can help prioritize development and infrastructure improvements by looking at the collected data. However, Indianapolis has a large budget gap between the amount of money in the Transportation Budget and what it would cost for repairs and a full build-out across the city. Priority areas have been determined to start making these improvements across the city.

Indianapolis has determined that a Vision Zero approach would be a beneficial step in the right direction to reducing fatalities and serious injuries and has set a goal for eliminating them, over the next 10 years. Data shows that although the number of collisions have remained steady over the last 10 years, fatalities have increased by 50%. Using Vision Zero strategies, Indianapolis can begin to work towards their goal of decreasing crashes within the next 10 years.

Indianapolis will not be the first American city to adopt a Vision Zero outlook; New York City was the first to adopt a Vision Zero plan and has a multi-pronged approach that emphasizes enforcement, street design, and legislative proposals dealing with safety. Minnesota, Utah, and Washington also have implemented similar approaches and seen a 43%, 48%, and 40% decrease in traffic fatalities.

Statistics

From 2015-2016, the state of Indiana saw a decrease in pedestrian fatalities (16.3% decrease). However, the US average increased 7% during that same time. Pedestrian fatalities increased each year from 2014-2016 nationally, will a 22% increase from 2014 to 2016.

Indiana has been taking some initiative through behavioral change. The City of Bloomington uses educational efforts using Indiana University’s campus. Grant funds are used by law enforcement agencies to enforce traffic laws for everyone. A lot of the enforcement takes place in school zones before and after school hours. The Alliance for Health Promotion works with Indianapolis to make sure pedestrian signals are working properly and adding pedestrian safety zones throughout the city.

For more information, click here.

For more data sources and information, check out these links below:

/ Association for Safe International Road Travel

/ Traffic Safety Facts: 2016 Data

/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Motor Vehicle Injuries

/ Indiana Crash Statistics

/ Indiana Traffic Safety Facts: Indiana Crash Facts 2017

/ State of Indiana Fiscal Year 2017 Traffic Safety Annual Report

/ Driver Knowledge: Car Accident Statistics in the U.S.

A Vision Zero City meets the following minimum standards:

- Key are engaged.

Infographic Slide

This page intentionally left blank.