Frequently Asked Questions
Getting started on Vision Zero
What is Vision Zero and the Safe System approach?
Vision Zero is a strategy to prevent roadway deaths and severe injuries, while ensuring safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. First implemented in Sweden in the 1990s, Vision Zero has proved successful in other nations — and is gaining momentum in American communities.
Vision Zero is built on the Safe System approach to traffic safety. This is a human-centered approach that begins with the ethical belief that no one should be killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes. It recognizes that people (and machines) will inevitably make mistakes. The Safe System approach prioritizes safety for people, focusing on designing roadways and vehicles and setting speeds and related policies in ways that ensure those inevitable mistakes do not result in severe injuries or fatalities. Read more about the Safe System approach in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Roadway Safety Strategy and this Safe System Consortium report.
Vision Zero and the Safe System approach are fundamentally different from the traditional “E’s” approach to traffic safety, which entails a more siloed approach emphasizing Education, Engineering and Enforcement. One major difference is that the E’s represent a discipline-based approach to traffic safety while Vision Zero/Safe System is a values-based approach. The latter emphasizes improving the “upstream systems” people move about in (affecting roadway design and policies that help lower speeds), rather than over-depending on education and enforcement strategies to change behavior. Read more here.
Vision Zero is not a slogan, not a tagline, not even just a program. It is a fundamentally different way to approach traffic safety. Learn more about Vision Zero and the Safe System approach.
How can I help my community start working on Vision Zero?
Whether you are a mayor, a transportation planner or engineer, a public health professional, or a community advocate, you can take actionable steps to start making progress on Vision Zero. Read more about Where to Start on the Road to Vision Zero.
Why set a goal of Zero?
Think about it this way: We don’t aim for only half of airplane flights to end without deaths, do we? Our aim is safety for all, and that should be the goal we set and strive for, whether it be on a plane, in a car, on a bike, or walking your child to school.
The U.S. has set a national goal of zero roadway fatalities and zero matters. It will take time, commitment and leadership, but we have led transformational change before in this country when public health depended on it. We can learn from major societal shifts that many thought were impossible, such as dramatically reducing smoking rates, which is credited with saving more than 8 million lives in the U.S. in the past 50+ years. We have made major changes in road safety in the past, including the introduction of seat belts and airbags, and we know how we can make even more progress today and in the future.
Other nations have reduced traffic deaths significantly in the same time period that U.S. road safety has worsened, so we know it is possible. And, as described below, Vision Zero cities are seeing success where they invest. Challenging? Definitely. Achievable? Yes.
What evidence is there that Vision Zero works?
Where communities invest in Safe Systems - such as lowering speed limits, improving walking and biking safety, and implementing other proven safety countermeasures – they are advancing Vision Zero. As of 2024, Hoboken, New Jersey has committed to Vision Zero change and achieved seven consecutive years without a traffic-related death. Fremont, California reduced fatalities by 45% from 2015 to 2020 after launching Vision Zero. New York City streets are safer and more equitable – overall traffic deaths decreased more than 12% and pedestrian deaths decreased by 45% – in the first five years of Vision Zero investments.
While Vision Zero is achieving results around the world, U.S. communities face challenges, including land use policies that often promote more car travel, less walkable cities and fewer vehicle safety regulations. Change will take action at all levels, including scaling up what works to prioritize safety over speed at the local level and ensuring stronger state support and federal action for Vision Zero.
About Vision Zero Network
What does the Vision Zero Network do?
The Vision Zero Network is a nonprofit project helping communities reach their goals of Vision Zero – preventing traffic deaths and severe injuries – while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all. The Vision Zero Network works on collaborative campaigns to advance Vision Zero in communities across the U.S.
For communities actively engaged in Vision Zero, the Network convenes meetings among leaders for peer to peer learning, organizes informational webinars and calls, and hosts online forums where staff involved in Vision Zero share questions and recommendations. The Network also convenes leaders and representatives from advocacy organizations working to advance Vision Zero and hold elected leaders and system designers accountable to prioritize safe, healthy, equitable mobility.
Vision Zero Network helps communities across the U.S. mobilize to address the crisis of 42,000+ traffic deaths a year in this country, and millions more injuries. We bring diverse stakeholders together to declare that “Enough is Enough,” recognizing that these tragedies are preventable with the right strategies and commitment. Our goal is safe mobility for all. Learn more about our work here.
Note that Vision Zero Network does not represent nor speak for individual community-led Vision Zero efforts. If you’re interested in activities in a specific community, please contact them directly.
How can I, or my organization, support the Vision Zero Network?
Please support our work to advance safe mobility for all. If you are interested in business sponsor opportunities to support Vision Zero, please contact info@visionzeronetwork.org.
Vision Zero Network is a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives, a 501(c)3 non-profit. For your accounting purposes, Community Initiatives’ tax ID number is 94-3255070. Your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent provided by the law.
How can I stay updated about Vision Zero news?
Sign up for Vision Zero Network’s monthly e-newsletter to stay updated on Vision Zero news. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. And participate in our upcoming webinars and/or view past webinars.
I’m a reporter, how can I contact Vision Zero Network?
Reporters can find more information here, including answers to common media questions, and contact information for interviews.
Resources and recognition for Vision Zero communities
Where can I find examples of strong Vision Zero work, including executive directives, action plans, case studies, approaches to equity and other resources?
Visit our Resource Library. We also have a library of recorded webinars on important Vision Zero topics. You can also find out about our recent work on our News page.
What are possible funding opportunities for Vision Zero work?
Advancing Vision Zero does not necessarily require new funding. Many communities have approached this work by prioritizing safety within their existing budgets. Lack of funding should not be a reason not to prioritize safety in ongoing transportation projects.
Funding helps, of course. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Safe Streets & Roads for All (SS4A) program funds local, regional and Tribal initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. This includes planning efforts, demonstration projects and implementation of Vision Zero and Safe System work. Learn about Vision Zero Network’s ideas to leverage SS4A funding.
See more opportunities from USDOT about possible federal grant funding.
How can my community be recognized as a Vision Zero community?
The Vision Zero Network recognizes as “Vision Zero communities” those which are taking demonstrable and significant actions to advance the core principles of Vision Zero and the Safe System approach. Communities interested in recognition can reference this application process. The application asks about actions taken to date in your community and establishes baseline data. It also helps interested communities learn about expectations and best practices related to a meaningful Vision Zero commitment.
Can other levels of government, other than cities, be recognized as Vision Zero communities, such as small towns, regions or states?
Vision Zero can be implemented in any type of community – rural, suburban or urban; local, regional or state. In the U.S., so far, many efforts have been initiated at the city-level, though an increasing number of regional-level agencies are also adopting Vision Zero, and some states are also showing increasing interest. In some other countries, Vision Zero is initiated and led more from the national level, and the U.S. Department of Transportation recently set a first-ever national goal of Zero Roadway Deaths.
While different strategies may be more appropriate for certain types of communities, regardless of the size or type of the community, the core principles of Vision Zero — the Safe System approach — remain the same. Learn more about the Safe System approach here and here.