As traffic fatalities continue to climb in many U.S. cities, local leaders face mounting urgency to act. In 2024, nearly 40,000 people were killed on American roads, with pedestrian and cyclist deaths reaching levels not seen in decades.
The reasons are complex—larger vehicles, distracted driving, and streets designed for speed over safety all play a role. But the solutions are also well known. Cities can make their streets safer through smart design, better traffic management, and a renewed focus on protecting the most vulnerable road users.
Here’s a look at some of the most effective ways cities are taking action to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths.
Redesigning Streets for Lower Speeds
Speed is a major factor in crash severity. A pedestrian hit by a car traveling 40 mph has an 85 percent chance of death, compared to a 5 percent risk at 20 mph (Andersen, 2022). To encourage slower driving, cities are redesigning streets in the following ways:
- Narrower lanes. Research shows that wide lanes encourage speeding. By reducing lane widths, cities can naturally slow traffic.
- Curb extensions (bulb-outs). These shorten crossing distances and improve visibility at intersections.
- Raised crosswalks and speed humps. Physical elements that force drivers to slow down.
Road diets. By converting four-lane roads to three lanes with a center turn lane and bike lanes, cities like Seattle and Minneapolis have seen reductions in crashes ranging from 20 to 40 percent.
Such measures change driver behavior by design—not simply by posting lower speed limits.
Expanding Safe Crossings
Crossing the street is often the most dangerous part of a pedestrian’s journey. In many cities, poorly marked or overly long crossings are the norm. To address this, cities are implementing:
- High-visibility crosswalks. Bright markings capture driver’s attention.
- Pedestrian refuge islands. These allow people to cross one direction of traffic at a time, reducing risk.
- Leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs). Giving pedestrians a 3 to 7 second head start at signals has reduced pedestrian-vehicle crashes by up to 60 percent in cities like New York (Bliss, 2019).
- Retimed signals. Many signal timings were set decades ago, favoring cars. Updating them gives pedestrians more crossing time.
Such changes make walking safer and more inviting, especially for seniors and children.
Building Better Bicycle Infrastructure
Cycling offers enormous health and environmental benefits, but safety remains a key barrier. Studies show protected bike lanes—separated from traffic with curbs, planters, or parked cars—cut injury risk by up to 90 percent compared to unprotected lanes (McLeod, 2021).
Cities leading the way include:
- New York City: Added 30 miles of protected bike lanes in 2022 alone.
- Austin: Built a connected network of protected lanes downtown, boosting bike commuting.
- Washington, D.C.: Saw a 50 percent drop in bike-involved crashes on streets with protected lanes.
Other improvements include buffered painted lanes, bike-specific traffic signals, and green paint to highlight conflict zones. The goal is to create networks that are safe and comfortable for riders of all ages and skill levels.
Calming Traffic Through Technology
In addition to physical changes, cities are leveraging technology to promote safer driving:
- Automated speed enforcement. Speed cameras consistently lower speeds and reduce crashes. In Portland, Oregon, a single camera led to a 71 percent drop in speeding (Federal Highway Administration, 2023).
- Red-light cameras. These deter dangerous red-light running.
- Dynamic speed displays. Signs that show drivers their speed encourage voluntary compliance.
- Adaptive traffic signals. These adjust in real time to traffic flow, improving safety and reducing congestion.
Importantly, automated enforcement reduces the need for potentially biased traffic stops, promoting more equitable safety outcomes.
Prioritizing Safety in Planning
The most effective cities embrace a systems approach. Through *Vision Zero* initiatives, more than 45 U.S. cities—including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis—have committed to eliminating traffic deaths (Vision Zero Network, 2024).
Key elements of this approach include:
- Data-driven action. Cities use crash data to target high-risk corridors, sometimes called “high-injury networks.”
- Safe street design standards. New guidelines prioritize people over vehicle speed and throughput.
- Cross-department collaboration. Transportation, police, public health, and community groups work together toward shared goals.
- Community engagement. Successful efforts center community voices, especially in underserved neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by traffic violence.
Success Stories
Cities that adopt these strategies are seeing results:
- Hoboken, NJ: Achieved zero traffic deaths for four straight years by redesigning streets and prioritizing safety.
- Oslo, Norway: Eliminated pedestrian and cyclist deaths in 2019 through extensive traffic calming and protected infrastructure.
- Boston: Implemented citywide 25 mph speed limits, pedestrian-first signal timing, and Vision Zero strategies, cutting fatal crashes by 35 percent since 2015.
Saving Lives
Creating safer streets is not about waging a “war on cars.” It’s about saving lives. Everyone is a pedestrian at some point, whether walking to their car or crossing a parking lot.
By thoughtfully designing streets, using technology wisely, and planning with safety as the top priority, cities can reverse the troubling rise in traffic deaths. The tools exist—now it’s up to cities to implement them and ensure that streets work for everyone.
References
Andersen, M. (2022, October 5). How cities are redesigning streets to reduce traffic deaths. Bloomberg CityLab.
Bliss, L. (2019, June 17). Why cities need “leading pedestrian intervals” at crosswalks. Bloomberg CityLab.
Federal Highway Administration. (2023). Proven safety countermeasures. U.S. Department of Transportation.
McLeod, K. (2021, December 13). Protected bike lanes save lives. PeopleForBikes.
Vision Zero Network. (2024). What is Vision Zero?
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