Vision Zero Austin
Austin’s Vision Zero Future, According to Law
McMinn Law Firm is committed to improving the lives of people who have been injured in car, pedestrian and truck crashes. The devastating pain caused by serious accidents should be prevented wherever possible. Adoption of Vision Zero policy is one way cities can reduce injuries and loss of life. You can read on about how these losses could be diminished with better road design and fewer negligent drivers.
Highlights:
- History of Vision Zero in Austin
- Austin’s Need for Vision Zero
- History of Vision Zero in Austin | Part 2
- Can laws prevent crashes?
What is Vision Zero?
Vision Zero efforts by cities like Austin attempt to reduce the number of tragic traffic deaths. We know the devastating effects that car accident, pedestrian, and motorcycle fatalities have on a family’s life and well being. Vision Zero seeks to eliminate traffic death and suffering.
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Advocates remind the public that we have the power to eliminate traffic deaths, which are not caused by “accidents” after all. For too long, they say, fatalities have been considered an inevitable side effect of motor vehicle transportation. But with Vision Zero, all crash fatalities can be prevented using approaches that prioritize safety. Vision Zero means taking a comprehensive look at systems for travel and ensure that they are safe for all users.
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Recovery doesn’t come easily or quickly – and there are some injuries a family may never recover from. We feel that loss is too heavy a price for communities to pay for distracted or negligent driving. Improvements in road construction can reduce the pain and suffering that families experience following a car crash tragedy.
102 traffic related deaths, as seen in Austin in 2015, is far too many deaths. 1 death is too many. If you or someone you know has been affected by an Austin car accident death, contact McMinn Law Firm today for a free consultation.
Why Austin, Texas Needs Vision Zero Initiatives
Austin is a great place to live. There’s a music festival almost every weekend, activities for the family, and opportunity for a great education at many of Austin’s public schools. But Austin ranks as the 13th most dangerous city for traffic (among cities with population over 500,000).
Texas traffic fatality and injury: Texas is one of the most dangerous states for per capita traffic fatalities. At least one person has died on Texas roads since November 7, 2000. Not a day goes by that a Texan doesn’t lose their life to car accident injury.
Austin traffic fatality statistics:
- In an average year, 64 people are killed on Austin’s roads
- In an average year, 200 people are seriously injured in a car crash
According to Vision Zero, injury and fatal crashes cost Austinites over half a billion dollars annually. But the human toll is much worse.
Each year, relatives of victims host a vigil one Sunday in November to remember those lost in fatal traffic accidents. They shared memories of their loved ones, and what unfolded after their sudden and shocking loss.
One woman lost her partner, bicyclist Andrew Tilin, when he was struck by a car while changing a flat tire along 360. Shellie Oroshiba spoke of her loss, and expressed desire for change in the future.
Vision Zero Safety advocates point to the loss and say safety measures could cost less than the costly impact caused by loss of life. Safety advocates say the financial toll (one-half billion in Austin) would be the equivalent of approximately 800 new miles of sidewalks or 7,000 new pedestrian hybrid beacons.
History of Vision Zero: How Austinites Got in the Vision Zero Fast Lane
In Austin, it’s common to think that Vision Zero initiatives began as a response to a surge in traffic fatalities we witnessed in 2015. In 2015, a record 102 people died on Austin roads. But the work started earlier, in 2014 when a council resolution created a task force that represented a variety of viewpoints. City and state staff, academics and community advocates make up the Vision Zero Task Force. Their role is to move Austin’s traffic death number to zero by 2025.
Austin is working to eliminate traffic deaths, but it was not the first to do so. Read to see how Austin has kept up with this international movement toward zero fatal car accidents.
March 2, 2017
In the past two years, almost 60 pedestrians have died after being hit by a motor vehicle. A new study released by Smart Growth America has ranked as Austin has one of the most dangerous cities to walk in.
An analysis of 104 largest metropolitan areas of the U.S. revealed that Austin is 47th most dangerous for pedestrians. Since 2005, there have been 257 pedestrian fatalities in Austin. In the Houston area, there have been 1,026 pedestrian deaths in that time.
Authors of the study advise cities to look at street design as a way to keep pedestrians safe. Can Austin’s latest Prop 1 measure make a difference in curbing pedestrian injury? Read on to see how Austin officials are working to address safety issues.
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