Traffic safety organizations seek to eliminate roadway deaths by 2050

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Road to Zero, Toward Zero Deaths, Vision Zero Network, and Families for Safe Streets recently joined 74 partner organizations and individuals seeking to eliminate roadway death by 2050.

The four groups, representing the nation’s largest coalition of traffic safety entities, and partners forwarded correspondence to President Joe Biden encouraging commitment to federal government efforts toward achieving zero roadway deaths by 2050. The letter coincided with Biden detailing administration priorities, and as Secretary-designate of Transportation Pete Buttigieg met with senators for the first time ahead of his confirmation hearing.

“Roadway deaths have been a leading killer in our nation for decades,” said Lorraine Martin, chair of the Road to Zero Coalition and president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “Our organizations look forward to working with the new administration, and we stand ready to assist in any way we can.”

The organizations noted about 100 people lose their lives on any given day on the nation’s roadways – adding traffic crashes serve as the leading cause of death for people ages 1 to 25.

“Ensuring safe mobility for all community members should be a core component of President Biden’s commitment to Build Back Better,” Leah Shahum, director of the national Vision Zero Network, said. “Now is the time to recognize how interconnected traffic safety goals are with the critical national priorities of overcoming the pandemic, advancing racial and economic justice, and investing in the health of our planet.”