DOT and NSC Announce New Partnership to End Roadway Fatalities
The Road to Zero coalition will try to end traffic fatalities within the next 30 years.
The U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Safety Council are partnering to try and end roadway fatalities within the next 30 years with a program called the Road to Zero. DOT will commit $1 million per year for the next three years to provide grants to organizations working on safety programs.
"Our vision is simple: zero fatalities on our roads," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We know that setting the bar for safety to the highest possible standard requires commitment from everyone to think differently about safety– from drivers to industry, safety organizations and government at all levels."
DOT reports 2015 marked the largest increase in traffic deaths since 1966, and estimates for 2016 show another uptick in fatalities by about 10.4 percent. "Every single death on our roadways is a tragedy," said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. "We can prevent them. Our drive toward zero deaths is more than just a worthy goal. It is the only acceptable goal."
Initially, the Road to Zero will focus on improving lifestyle strategies, like improving seat belt use, installing rumble strips, truck safety, behavior change campaigns and data-driven enforcement. The coalition will also lead development of a scenario-based vision on how to achieve zero traffic deaths based on evidence-based strategies and a systemic approach to eliminating risks.