The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced the inaugural meeting of the “Vision Zero Council” will be held on Aug. 19.
The Vision Zero Council was established by the Connecticut General Assembly to develop state-wide policies to eliminate transportation-related fatalities and severe injuries involving pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, motorists, and passengers. The council is part of the transportation safety bill passed this year.
“CTDOT is committed to eliminating deaths on our roadways, and having our sister agencies at the table will help make this possible,” said Garrett Eucalitto, CTDOT Deputy Commissioner and Vision Zero Council Chair. “By bringing diverse perspectives together on the Vision Zero Council and engaging with and listening to the concerns of the public and safety stakeholders, we can better shape our approach to making Connecticut’s transportation system safer for all users.”
Statistics show a trend of increasing road-user fatalities, particularly for pedestrians. CTDOT recently announced a “Toward Zero Deaths” campaign that would promote an enhanced culture of safety, as well as a Comprehensive Pedestrian Safety Strategy to increase awareness of pedestrian injuries and fatalities in the state and to target the root causes of pedestrian traffic incidents.
Comprised of commissioners (or their designees) from the Departments of Transportation, Public Health, Emergency Services, and Public Protections, Motor Vehicles, Education, and Aging and Disability Services, as well as other commissioners or designees to address transportation safety, the council will meet virtually at first.