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What is Vision Zero?

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Vision Zero: A Commitment to Safe Streets and includes images of people walking, biking, scooting and using a wheelchair on roads.

You’ve probably heard a lot about Vision Zero and you’re wondering what is it? Municipalities across New Jersey and the United States are committing to Vision Zero through resolutions, ordinances aimed at increasing road safety, and street redesigns that accommodate all people, regardless of how they get around.

What is Vision Zero? A Bold Strategy for Road Safety

In the world of transportation and road safety, Vision Zero has emerged as a groundbreaking approach aimed at eliminating traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. While the idea might seem idealistic at first, it’s grounded in the belief that no loss of life or serious injury on the roads is acceptable. By shifting the focus to proactive safety measures, Vision Zero aims to create a road system that protects all users, including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists.

Origins of Vision Zero

Vision Zero was first introduced in Sweden in 1997. The country, known for its strong commitment to social welfare and public safety, set out with the goal of creating a transportation system where nobody would be killed or seriously injured in road accidents. Since its inception, Sweden has seen significant success, with traffic fatalities dropping by over half in the years that followed the implementation of Vision Zero.

Seeing these positive results, the idea began to spread globally. Today, cities and countries around the world have adopted Vision Zero as part of their road safety strategies, including major urban centers in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and beyond. But Vision Zero isn’t just a set of guidelines—it’s a call to action and a comprehensive approach to how we think about traffic safety.

Key Principles of Vision Zero

  • Human-Centered Design: One of the core tenets of Vision Zero is the recognition that humans make mistakes. Road design should accommodate human error, making it difficult for accidents to result in serious injuries or deaths. For example, roundabouts or protected bike lanes can reduce the likelihood of fatal collisions.
  • Systemic Safety: Vision Zero doesn’t just focus on individual behavior but emphasizes improving the entire transportation system. This includes engineering safer roadways, introducing more robust vehicle safety standards, and enhancing traffic laws. The goal is to redesign roads and infrastructure to prevent severe accidents from occurring, regardless of human error.
  • Shared Responsibility: Unlike traditional road safety approaches, which often place the blame for accidents on drivers, Vision Zero emphasizes that responsibility is shared by everyone involved—drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, policymakers, and engineers. It’s not about blaming individuals but creating a safer system for all.
  • Data-Driven Solutions: Effective policies and infrastructure changes must be informed by solid data. Vision Zero calls for detailed data collection on traffic accidents, injury patterns, and the behavior of road users to determine where improvements are needed. This allows for targeted solutions and better resource allocation.

Vision Zero in Practice

While Vision Zero might sound like an ambitious ideal, there are numerous real-world examples showing its effectiveness. Cities around the world have already begun to implement Vision Zero strategies with significant success.

  • Hoboken, NJ: Since committing to Vision Zero in 2018, Hoboken has not seen a traffic fatality in seven years, thanks to safety improvements that include daylighting intersections – the process of increasing visibility at crosswalks, incorporating bike lanes, and reducing speed limits throughout the city.
  • Jersey City, NJ: Jersey City became the first city in New Jersey to commit to Vision Zero through initiatives like pop-up pedestrian plazas, installing roundabouts, reducing speed limits, and daylighting intersections.
  • New York City: In 2014, NYC adopted Vision Zero as part of its official traffic safety strategy. The city implemented measures like lower speed limits, the expansion of bike lanes, and increased enforcement of traffic laws.

As more cities adopt Vision Zero principles, it’s becoming clear that road safety is not just about enforcement but about rethinking the very nature of how we design and interact with our road systems. The initiative has the potential to transform cities into safer, more inclusive environments where everyone—from children to the elderly—can move around confidently without the constant threat of road crashes.

Vision Zero is A Shared Goal

Achieving zero traffic deaths and serious injuries requires continued collaboration among government agencies, engineers, public health professionals, and the public. Everyone must play a role in ensuring that Vision Zero is more than just a lofty goal but a tangible, life-saving reality.

Vision Zero is more than just a traffic safety program; it is a philosophy that redefines how we view road safety. It challenges the notion that traffic deaths are inevitable and calls for systemic changes to create a safer world for all road users. The journey toward zero is long, but it’s a step toward a future where no one has to fear for their life on the road.

Learn more about Vision Zero, download a sample resolution, and take the Vision Zero Pledge HERE.

Share the Road. Share the Responsibility

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Drivers and pedestrians share the responsibility of keeping themselves and others on the roads safe. Pedestrians should follow certain safety practices to help ensure their own safety when sharing the roadways. Here are some useful tips and guidelines to follow as a pedestrian:

Be Visible. You can do this by wearing bright-colored clothing during the day and reflective colored clothing at night. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 32% of pedestrian-auto accident fatalities occur between 8 pm and 11:59 pm. The use of flashlights and reflective stickers can help make you visible during these late hours.

Avoid Distractions. It’s time to put down your phone and other electronic devices. The use of electronics is a daily part of life, but they distract your attention. When you decide to walk and text or listen to music through headphones, your attention focuses on that instead of the possible street signs and vehicles surrounding you. As a pedestrian, your eyes and ears are your best way to keep safe.

Use Caution. Before crossing the street always look left, then right, and left again. Make sure traffic has come to a complete stop before proceeding. You should cross only at intersections or street corners with crosswalks. By doing this, motorists should see you coming well in advance.

Remember, you as a pedestrian have a job to be seen and be alert at all times!

Grab your sneakers ~ And Walk!

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Grab your sneakers and take a walk…on National Walking Day.  According to the American Heart Association, the event is celebrated on April 1st, but some sources say it’s celebrated on the first Wednesday in April.  We at KMM think regardless of what day it falls on, everyone should walk!

By committing to walking at least 30 minutes, you can get healthier and raise awareness about the importance of physical activity. On this day, millions of people throughout the United States will come together to take steps to live a healthier life for themselves, their families and their communities. You can celebrate the day in the workplace, at schools, in neighborhood walking groups and clubs and communities. 

Here are 3 tips on how to participate in National Walking Day, today and really, all year long.

Form a walking group with your neighbors.  Commit to meeting 3-5 times a week and walk different routes in your neighborhood.  Not only are you getting exercise, but you are engaging within the community.

Plan a walking meeting.  Sometimes the best ideas come when you are exercising.  Instead of sitting around the table, have a staff meeting walking at lunch with your coworkers.  While it’s a more informal type of meeting, it could produce some unique ideas.

Create a walking challenge.    Whether with your neighbors, co-workers or people in your community, create a challenge to see who can walk the most steps in one month.  Determine a monetary amount to join and split the total money collected between the winner and a local charity or cause in your group’s name.  With so many apps and devices, you can track each other’s progress.

So lace up those sneakers and get out there and walk for your community and for your health.   Oh and remember to:

wear bright clothing

obey the rules of the road

…and most importantly, don’t text and walk.

 

KMM Launches the Silver Safety Series

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KMM is excited to announce the launch of our new program for active adults called – Silver Safety Series. The program provides a number of interactive presentations that deal with driving safety, pedestrian issues, on-demand transportation alternatives, and even health and exercise. This program can be presented individually or as series and features interactive presentations, light refreshments, and giveaways.

Available to senior centers across Middlesex County, the program is FREE and can even be customized to each facility. Listed below are the options.  Again, a senior center can pick and choose which of the presentations they would like to offer and schedule them for a 1/2 day or as a series.  To learn more, or to schedule the Silver Safety Series, call our office (732-745-4465).

 

Senior Pedestrian Safety Presentation
20-minute interactive presentation on driving safety

Jay Walker Show
A 30-minute distracted walking video

Ride4Life
A 10-minute presentation offering information for on-demand
transportation service for senior citizens

 

Halloween Safety Tips

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Halloween is here! Along with all the costumes, preparation, and candy, we need to keep safety on our top list of priorities.  During this time of year, parents need to go over safety rules with their children before trick-or-treating begins and drivers need to be more aware than ever.

Here are some safety precautions for children, parents, and driver to follow to make this year’s Halloween a successful one.

  1. Always walk on sidewalks or paths and cross the street at corners, using traffic signals and the designated crosswalks. Look both ways when crossing and make sure your electronic devices are away so they do not take your eyes off of the road.
  2. Teach children to watch for cars that are turning or backing up, and to never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
  3. Younger children should not be alone at night without adult supervision. Create a parent group to go out trick-or-treating so you become a part of all the fun.
  4. Drivers need to slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods.
  5. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways, so as a driver it’s your responsibility to see them. Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians, and on curbs.

Halloween is an exciting time of year for everyone. Together, we are all responsible- as pedestrians and drivers to make this year’s Halloween a safe and successful one.

Shared Safety Tips for the School Year

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With back-to-school mode in full swing, you may have noticed more traffic congestion.  And along with traffic congestion, we are sharing the roads with school buses, bicyclists, and parents rushing to drop their kids off at school. Sharing the road and following these simple safety precautions will ensure a safe school year:

  1. Look before you go. More kids are hit by cars/buses near schools than at any other location, according to the National Safe Routes to School Program. Both the parent and student should look for cars, making sure that the area near the school is clear before getting out of the car.
  2. Give the right away. For drivers passing by, make sure you give the pedestrians the right away when crossing the street, whether they are walking or biking. Always come to a complete stop and watch for kids when you are approaching a school zone with flashing pedestrian signs. This means kids are in the area and it’s your job as a driver to be aware.
  3. Be smart. Kids that walk, ride their bikes or take the school bus need to ensure their safety. Those crossing the street, always use a crosswalk and look both ways to see if cars/buses are approaching. Those taking the bus, make sure you are standing away from the curb when a bus is pulling up or driving away, that way you don’t get hit.

Together, we are all responsible – as pedestrians and drivers, to make this year’s back to school a safe return for everyone!

Heads Up! Phones Down!

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Distracted Walking is a growing problem all over the world. Each year, more and more people are injured while walking because of texting, talking or listening to music while on their cell phones. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, there were nearly 6,000 pedestrian fatalities in 2017 as a result of distracted walking. How do we stop this number from growing?

Not looking ahead of you can cause you to trip, fall, or even end up in the hospital with serious injuries. Staying aware of your surroundings, big or small, inside or outside, can help prevent accidents from occurring.

Many pedestrians are losing focus on things happening around them and are putting their safety as well as the safety of others at risk because of being on their cell phones. Too many pedestrians rely on cars stopping for them, which causes the number of cell phone use while walking to go up. It is wrong for pedestrians to assume that motorists will always hear and see them. Too many times motorists are not aware of pedestrians approaching and before anyone realizes, it could be too late.

The simple solution is for pedestrians to stop using phones while walking, anytime – anywhere!  Did you know over half of the distracted walking injuries occur in our own homes?  We need to stay aware of our surroundings at all times.

Don’t become another statistic, instead, put your phone down and keep your head up!

Sharing the Road ~Together

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Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians – We all use the roads and we’d each prefer to do so without the other in the way.

Sometimes our own actions or the actions of others around us can put us in danger, especially when it comes to sharing the road. Although it is often unintentional, forgetting basic road etiquette can cause yourself or another harm and injury. Here are some safety tips that every motorist should know about sharing the roads:

  1. Drivers look for pedestrians when making turns, right? So why not take a couple extra seconds to look for a cyclist? The cyclist has the right of way if they are going straight and the driver is turning right.
  2. Pedestrians have responsibilities too. They should always avoid walking distracted.  Keep earbud volume low enough to hear oncoming traffic and do not text and walk.
  3. If you are a driver approaching pedestrians and/or cyclists, wait to pass them until you have a clear view ahead and are sure there’s no oncoming traffic. A little bit of patience could save your life.
  4. Signal your turns and do it in plenty of time. Using turn signals is not only a law for drivers but for cyclists as well. By using hand signals to determine which way you are turning, this can alert drivers, other cyclists, and pedestrians when they see you coming.

When you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle, riding a bike or motorcycle, driving safely should always be your top concern. It’s crucial to know the basics of safe driving and practice them every time you’re on the road.  This will ensure that everyone can travel and stay safe together.

Happy National Selfie Day!

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June 21st is National Selfie Day! It’s a cinch to participate in this holiday. Just pose, snap, and post.

But most importantly, take that selfie safely.  Here’s how:

If you take a trip to the beach, getting the waves crashing behind you is a great way to show how you are spending your summer day.   Be sure to scan the area for any riptides and heed any lifeguard warnings.  Hold on tight to your phone too.  That wave crashing behind you can be far stronger than you think!

If you are going for a bike ride, the possibilities are endless of what you can share – action shots, landscapes, and your very cool bike gear.  While all these shots can be epic, it’s smarter to pull over and snap that picture than to take the picture while biking.

Spending the day walking with co-workers for lunch or dinner alfresco with friends? There is plenty to capture and share too.  Just remember to not snap and post that perfect selfie while walking.

Most importantly be aware of your surroundings.  That big smile you’ll post on social media for all to see should be fun and worry-free.   So snap that pic, and Get your Selfie on!

Ready, Set, Run!

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Lace your sneakers. Check your watch. Stretch your legs.  But before taking a lap around your block, check out our running safety tips:

Do Not Run Alone. Having a friend or dog with you as a running partner will make you a less attractive target for potential attackers. This also helps inspire others to join you while being active and having fun.

Run Against Traffic. This helps prevent traffic related accidents, especially if you are someone who likes to run early in the morning or at dusk.

Look Both Ways. At any time during your run, be sure to look both ways before crossing the street. Staying aware of oncoming traffic and cars that may not see you.

Always Bring Your Cellphone. Having your cellphone handy while running is the best way to communicate with others in case of any accident or emergency.

Know Where You Are Going. Running confidently not only displays confidence but also allows you to enjoy your run without any confusion or disruptions.

It does not matter how fast you run or how far you may go. The most important thing is that you have fun and participate in safe ways. June 6th is National Running Day and the day promotes simply putting one foot in front of the other so you can get moving.

Put on your running shoes, grab your running partner and embrace the day!