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The Center for Injury Research and Policy at Johns Hopkins University (JHCIRP), known for its leadership in the public health arena, in collaboration with the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), recognized for its leadership in the practice of transportation planning and transportation engineering, recently convened the Safe System Consortium, with support from the FIA Foundation. This Consortium included a diverse group of experts including transportation planners and engineers, public health professionals, safety advocates, academics, researchers, and international road safety experts.
The purpose of this effort was to develop recommendations directed primarily at Congress and the Biden administration that can move the United States toward Vision Zero using the Safe System Approach while supporting a more equitable transportation system. Through a series of meetings, the Consortium members identified three essential areas for change: Safety across the System, Equity by Investment, and Progress by Design. This article outlines the rationale behind this effort and presents the recommendations. More details can be found in the full Consortium Report (see page 31 for more information).
The Safe System Approach
The Safe System Approach offers the potential for major reductions in traffic deaths and injuries in the United States, where more than 42,000 roadway fatalities are estimated to have occurred in 2020 alone, according to the National Safety Council, and crashes persist as a leading cause of death among teens and young adults.1,2
However, widespread adoption of this approach will require major policy shifts at all levels of government, starting with the federal level. During the past 20 years, a number of nations and cities around the world have adopted the Safe System Approach. The approach begins with a commitment to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries among all road users and uses thoughtful road and vehicle design to minimize crashes that occur when people make mistakes, and to reduce crash forces so that people are less likely to be injured when crashes occur. By designing safety into the road system, deaths and serious injuries are engineered out. While the United States differs in cultural and historical context from nations with the longest experience with the Safe System Approach, their experience bodes well for similar benefits in this country, if we implement the approach in ways that prioritize safety upgrades in...