Right-Sizing Enforcement: Why I See Vision Zero As More Than Just Preventing Traffic Deaths

I recently sat down with the Thurgood Marshall Institute on their Justice Above All podcast to discuss a topic central to my Vision Zero work since I joined the organization nearly three years ago: the role of enforcement in traffic safety. This issue is both personal and strategic to me, not only as a Black road user, but because addressing it is absolutely critical to truly advancing Vision Zero. It's a conversation that has been long overdue. 

What I’ve learned through this work — and what has only been reinforced in this podcast episode, Driving While Black — is that Vision Zero is not just about preventing traffic deaths and severe injuries. It’s about ensuring that streets are safe for everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live. Achieving Vision Zero requires us to directly confront and reimagine the current roadway safety systems and relevant policies that disproportionately put certain communities at risk.

Check out the July 14 episode of Justice Above All – Driving While Black – where we dive deep into the limited impact of traditional police traffic enforcement on safe roadways and discuss a proactive, public health approach to traffic safety. You can also watch my full interview with Sandhya Kajeepeta from the Legal Defense Fund here and learn more about the harms of traffic stops on the episode landing page.

This conversation feels especially timely as communities across the country continue to grapple with the disproportionate impact of traffic violence on communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, coupled with valid concerns about racial bias in enforcement, including the role of other enforcement agencies like ICE in exacerbating these issues. 

While discussions around racially biased enforcement may not be as prominent as they were following George Floyd’s murder in 2020, communities across the country have been taking steps to reimagine their approach to enforcement. As of early 2024, at least a dozen states and local governments have passed legislation or ordinances to restrict police enforcement of at least one category of non-safety-related offenses. From California to Virginia, and Nashville to Seattle, police departments and prosecutors’ offices are exploring how to focus their enforcement efforts on clear road safety priorities, including limiting non-safety-related traffic stops, or pretext stops, or curbing consent searches. 

This is encouraging not just from an equity perspective, but also from a safety perspective as it allows for more efficient and effective use of increasingly limited police resources. As we discuss in the Justice Above All episode, a 2021 study on the relationship between traffic stops and deaths due to motor vehicle crashes in 33 states between 2004 and 2016 found there to be no association between the rate of police stops and the rate of deaths due to motor vehicle crashes. 

However, this is not to say that there is zero room for enforcement, but the status quo approach to enforcement isn’t working. The biggest safety problems we face — such as speeding, impaired driving and reckless driving — require more attention, including focused enforcement on what matters most.

We can learn from Fayetteville, NC where the police chief led the charge in prioritizing safety-related stops, which led to a 28% reduction in traffic fatalities, without an increase in non-traffic-related crimes. This example underscores the potential of focused enforcement to improve road safety while allowing police resources to be more strategically allocated to address other serious crimes and public safety concerns. This shift is particularly critical, as I continue to hear from communities I work with about the increasing demands placed on police officers due to widespread staffing shortages and capacity issues. As police resources are stretched thin, we can do more with less — and more effectively and equitably — by focusing enforcement on true public safety priorities.

At the same time, technology presents an opportunity to improve road safety without requiring constant police presence. Speed safety cameras, when implemented with equity safeguards, such as income-based fines and restrictions on how the revenue is used, can be an efficient way to deter speeding without over-burdening low-income or BIPOC road users. For a deeper dive, check out our Fair Warnings report for recommendations on creating fair, effective, and equitable speed safety camera programs. 

Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is another promising tool to prevent repeat offenders from driving dangerously. With 75% of drivers with suspended licenses continuing to drive, ISA can provide a more equitable alternative to license suspension or jail time, allowing people to retain their mobility for essential activities, such as for work and medical care. In Washington, D.C., new legislation requires repeat speeders to have ISA installed in their vehicles, ensuring they can no longer drive over the speed limit. Similar legislation was passed in Virginia, Georgia, and Washington State, while other states are also considering similar legislation.

These technologies, coupled with infrastructure-based solutions, such as road diets, reduced speed limits, bike lanes, sidewalks, street lighting and other traffic calming measures, more appropriately focus on deterring dangerous driving before it happens, versus emphasizing after-the-fact, punitive measures. To truly improve roadway safety, we must focus on the most effective tools and move away from relying on strategies that are not only ineffective but also drain resources and put already vulnerable communities at greater risk.

These ideas and more are what I discuss in the recent podcast, Driving While Black. Check out the full episode to learn more, and please share it with your friends and colleagues who are working toward the shared goal of safety on our streets – for everyone.

For those looking to dive deeper into how to incorporate these ideas into your own Vision Zero Action Plan, be sure to check out Recommendation 5 of our Prioritizing Health Equity in Vision Zero Action Planning resource, which offers practical strategies for right-sizing enforcement and building safer, more equitable streets.