DATA COLLECTION & SETTING BENCHMARKS

Vision Zero is a data driven approach which makes data collection vitally important when setting goals and then tracking them over time. Not only is data used to help determine what strategies are beneficial to implement, but it helps to identify common patterns where a community could be proactive in preventing serious injuries or fatalities from occurring.

Data collection needs to be detailed and accurate, and partners should be identified to assist with collecting or sharing the data they have collected with various government jurisdictions and law enforcement. Allowing resources to be made available to the public could help to create a larger awareness of issues and identify areas that might have higher incidence of accidents or areas that are underserved by transportation facilities, or areas where “close call” crashes might occur because rarely, if ever, are these reported. Additionally, once strategies have been implemented tracking is needed to determine if the strategy is working or not. Accurate reports of crashes and near-misses is just one step in making a community more safe.