Well as folks say Vision Zero has quickly turned to Zero Vision. For lack of funding or will to change. Regardless, pedestrian traffic injuries and fatalities continue to be on track to the highest rate in 50 years.
Thanks to KPBS recent story we learn:
It’s been more than eight years since city officials adopted “Vision Zero,” a goal of ending all traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2025. More than two years from that deadline, the number of total deaths and injuries each year is essentially unchanged. Meanwhile pedestrian deaths are on the rise — both in San Diego and across the country.
Audit finds San Diego severely underfunds pedestrian safety
In short, over 1000 safety priority work projects on the list and a typical year sees approximately 40 or so of these projects done.
Still, the transportation safety rebels are doing a lot with gumption, paint, planters, etc.
Traffic cameras can also increase safety for those not in vehicles and raise revenue for these safety projects. But not much is happening fast.
And 2023 is looking likely to be a worse year than 2022 for bicyclist fatalities.
According to the blog Biking LA on October 31, 2023:
This is at least the 50th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 16th that I’m aware of in Los Angeles County; it’s also at least the eighth time a person was been killed riding a bicycle in Los Angeles since the start of the year.
Update: Valley Glen man dragged, killed by hit-and-run driver; 4th LA County bike death in 4 days, 15th SoCal rider killed in 25 days
On the wake of the tragic PCH pedestrian car crash fatalities in October, we have more cyclists and pedestrians being seriously injured and killed on our roads.
“Fatal traffic collisions this year have taken 250 lives,” LAPD Chief Michel Moore stated during a recent meeting of the Los Angeles Police Commission. The deaths, from the period of Jan. 1–Oct. 14, was nine more than in the same timeframe in 2022.
Then Moore added, “But most troubling is when we look back to 2019, that number was 188. That’s a 33% increase.”
Los Angeles on pace to surpass 300 traffic collision deaths for second consecutive year
Hit and run car crashes are at an epidemic level. It’s just gone from bad to really, really bad.
But, new gear for cyclists in the form of air bags do offer some on demand safety improvements potentially to cyclists, adding to the traditional helmet.
Scientific research shows that Hövding’s airbag technology offers protection up to eight times better than traditional bicycle helmets. French testing institute Certimoov has given its stamp of approval, confirming that Hövding is the safest option for cyclists.
Should cyclists start wearing airbags or what?