Vision Zero is a New York City initiative to reduce motor vehicle accidents through education, engineering and enforcement. Part of the Vision Zero mission statement is “no level of fatality on city streets is inevitable or acceptable.”
Vision Zero became policy in 2014, and since then, fatalities have mostly declined each year. Until 2021, that is. That year, fatalities rose significantly across the board. There is much to discuss regarding Vision Zero, but in this post, we will highlight the rise in accident fatalities in 2021.
How did pedestrians fare in 2021?
Nearly 125 pedestrians died in 2021. By contrast, 184 pedestrians perished in 2013. These deaths declined annually under Vision Zero except for 2016 (149 deaths), 2018 (117 deaths) and 2020 (124 fatalities).
What about bicyclist deaths?
Bicycle accident fatalities did not fall much between 2013 (10 deaths) and 2021 (19 deaths). Fatalities actually rose from year to year, except for 2018, which saw only ten deaths.
Did driver deaths decline under Vision Zero?
Yes, for the most part. 2013 saw 42 motorist fatalities due to vehicle accidents, with the number of deaths declining each year until 2020 and 2021 (51 and 50 deaths, respectively).
How many vehicle occupants died during Vision Zero?
In 2013, 60 vehicle occupants died in car accidents. Those numbers mostly fell from year to year until 2020, in which 71 vehicle passengers lost their lives. In 2021, the number fell marginally with 65 car occupant fatalities.
Now that New York has new leadership, maybe Vision Zero will get a fresh new start, potentially improving traffic safety for everyone. Those who have suffered motor vehicle accident injuries or lost a loved one can find a remedy by learning about the accident compensation laws in New York.