Marc HedlundA toddler and an adult were killed, and a baby and two other adults (including the driver) were injured, when a driver hit a bus shelter in San Francisco today. This event produced some polarized reactions today and I wanted to talk about how I see it. https://sfstandard.com/2024/03/16/one-child-one-adult-killed-others-injured-when-car-strikes-bus-shelter-in-west-portal/ #StreetSafety #VisionZero #SanFrancisco.
Mayor London Breed made a remarkable comment about the crash: "I'm not sure that this particular incident fits in the scope of that problem around Vision Zero but our goal is to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of people in this city." What did she mean by that? It's hard to say but I have a guess.
Vision Zero is the idea that cities should work to reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries to zero. Obviously, an adult and a child dying and three others being injured is very severe and many street safety activists (of which I am one) reacted very negatively to Breed's apparent desire to define these deaths as outside of the goal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_Zero
San Francisco committed to reach Vision Zero by 2024—this year. Here's how it's going as of last year: not well. (Source: https://sfgov.org/scorecards/transportation/traffic-fatalities)
Traffic Fatalities | City Performance Scorecards
Vision Zero SF San Francisco's "Vision Zero" policy represents the City's commitment to eliminating traffic deaths on our streets by 2024. Through building better and safer streets, educating the public on traffic safety, enforcing traffic laws and adopting policy changes, we can save the lives of all road users — people who walk, bike, drive, or ride public transit. Achieving
So what did Mayor Breed mean? Some of the early reports suggest the driver may have had a medical emergency, so it's possible she meant that essentially doesn't count for the Vision Zero goal. We can't prevent medical emergencies, so putting that in the same column is unfair. Right?
Fred Moyer@marcprecipice we need bollards protecting spaces like that
@phredmoyer agree completely.