Hawaiʻi Island Vision Zero Action Plan

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WHAT IS VISION ZERO? Vision Zero is a transportation safety philosophy that was developed in Sweden in the late 1990s to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries in the transportation system. Through its Vision Zero efforts, Sweden has reduced traffic fatalities by half, making it one of the safest places to travel in the world. A central tenet of Vision Zero is that people should not be killed or seriously injured as a consequence of mobility. Vision Zero recognizes that humans make mistakes and therefore the transportation system be designed to minimize the consequences of those errors. Cities, counties and states across the U.S. have adopted Vision Zero goals and developed plans for eliminating traffic deaths. While Vision Zero efforts in the U.S. share common principles with Sweden's policy, each agency has adapted the approach to their unique circumstances and needs'. The federal government and many states, including the Hawaii Department of Transportation, have also committed to a goal of reducing traffic fatalities, providing additional support for this initiative. ion. 2. Traffic deaths and severe injuries are acknowledged to be preventable. 3. Human life and public health are prioritized within all aspects of the transportation system. 4. Acknowledgment that human error is inevitable, and transportation systems should be forgiving. 5. Safety work should focus on systems -level changes above influencing individual behavior. 6. Mitigation of speed is recognized and prioritized as the fundamental factor in crash severity. 7. Solutions should be prioritized in areas with the most vulnerable populations. 8. Communities should have a voice in defining issues and developing solutions for their community, with particular focus on engaging disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. (Source: Adapted from VisionZero Network. org) 1 VisionZeroNetwork.org G