NSC Calls on Biden Administration to Prioritize Safety
A plan was implemented to make sure there are zero traffic deaths by 2020.
- By Shereen Hashem
- Apr 06, 2021
President Joe Biden showed his dedication to road safety and transportation equity as a part of his recent infrastructure proposal. While appreciative, National Safety Council urges the Biden Administration to do more to protect roadway users by publicly committing to the goal of zero traffic deaths by 2050, according to an article.
The organizations involved along with the NSC in the dedication to the elimination of the roadway safety deaths are: Road to Zero Coalition, Toward Zero Deaths, Vision Zero Network and Families for Safe Streets. On the same day President Biden’s plan was released, the group held a national briefing based on the Council’s latest facility estimates-showing the largest spike in roadway deaths in nearly a century. A plan was also released showing zero is possible.
“As motor vehicle deaths continue to climb, federal leadership on the path to zero roadway deaths is absolutely essential,” said Lorraine Martin, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “We applaud the once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment called for by the President and urge the Administration to embrace ‘zero’ as the realistic, achievable goal we know it to be.”
According to an article, the Road to Zero Coalition, advocates for three actions:
- Double down on what works through proven, evidence-based strategies, including equitable implementation of roadway safety laws, policies, procedures, infrastructure improvements and lowering – not raising – speed limits in accordance with roadway design.
- Advance life-saving technology in vehicles and infrastructure, which can be achieved by incentivizing consumers to purchase vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and urging automakers to offer ADAS as standard features in all new vehicles.
- Adopt a Safe System approach as implemented in countries around the world with proven success. This includes redesigning roads to engineer out common risks and mitigate human errors that lead to high-consequence crashes while protecting accessibility for all modes.
NSC looks forward to working with President Biden, Secretary Pete Buttigieg, as well as the rest of the administration and lawmakers to ensure safety for all is at the forefront of any infrastructure and surface transportation legislation.