Latest news with #VisionZero
CBS News
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Changes coming to Browns Hill Road stemming from deadly motorcycle crash
Changes are on the way to Browns Hill Road near the Homestead Grays Bridge stemming from a deadly motorcycle crash that happened late last month. 33-year-old Robert Brimage was killed in a motorcycle crash along Browns Hill Road on May 29 after crashing with another vehicle that was traveling in the same direction. In the wake of the deadly crash, the City of Pittsburgh's Vision Zero Fatal Crash Response Team completed a site visit to the scene of where the crash occurred and will be making a number of changes to Browns Hill Road to help prevent future crashes. The city says that during overnight hours, traffic lights at the intersections of Imogene Road and Parkview Boulevard will "revert to red." Instead of staying green, traffic lights at those intersections will respond to real-time conditions instead of staying green to help cut down on chances for drivers to speed. At those intersections, the yellow and red phases of the traffic signal rotations will be changed to help cut down on rear-end crashes and reflective plates will be added to give more nighttime visibility to drivers. Lastly, pedestrians at the intersection of Browns Hill Road and Imogene Road will be given a 5-second head start when crossing the street. It's unclear how quickly the changes will be implemented.
CBS News
3 days ago
- CBS News
San Francisco's "Vision Zero" failing, more SFPD traffic enforcement needed, grand jury says
A new report released by the San Francisco Civil Grand Jury finds the city's "Vision Zero" program, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths, is falling far short of its goal. The report, titled "Failed Vision: Revamping the Roadmap to Safer Streets", was released on Tuesday. Implemented in 2014, the Vision Zero program sought to eliminate all traffic fatalities in the city in 10 years. A decade later, 2024 was the deadliest year on the city's roadways since 2007. Jurors found while the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has implemented a range of measures increasing safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, the San Francisco Police Department has drastically reduced its enforcement of traffic laws since the program was implemented a decade ago. "There's a sense of lawlessness on the city streets, due to the almost complete lack of enforcement in recent years," foreperson Michael Carboy said in a statement. "This report highlights how excessive speeding and reckless driving of a few increases risks to everyone—pedestrians, bicyclists and other people in cars." The report found the number of traffic citations issued by SFPD dropped by 95%, from more than 120,000 in 2014 to a little over 4,000 in 2022, before increasing to 15,500 last year. "Through numerous interviews, the Jury found that the primary reason for the stunning drop in citations is that police leadership does not prioritize traffic enforcement and does not hold officers accountable for performing what has historically been a part of an officer's day-to-day job. Over time, this lack of prioritization and accountability has metastasized into a seemingly broad acceptance within the SFPD culture that traffic enforcement is not a valued part of an officer's job. The result is the virtual abdication by SFPD of its essential role in keeping our streets safe," the report said. The jurors also found the department has outdated technology for issuing traffic citations, leading officers to issue handwritten tickets and wasting staff time. Jurors issued several recommendations to SFPD including urging the police chief to implement more stringent traffic enforcement and to expedite the deployment of improved technology for issuing citations and reporting crashes. The police department is also being urged to implement a training program to educate officers about the toll of traffic collisions, the importance of enforcement and the highest-risk violations of the traffic code. The grand jury also issued recommendations to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) to improve its planning on traffic safety measures and to adopt an "area-based" approach rather than focus on individual intersections or corridors. In addition, the jury also called for the SFMTA to develop a new street safety education campaign for all road users, which includes working with the San Francisco Unified School District on materials aimed at children.
Glasgow Times
6 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Bid to stop delivery E-bikes using Kingston Bridge
A Glasgow Council city official revealed how she had spotted cyclists on the city centre M8 stretch herself. She said the local authority is looking to erect signs to warn them to steer clear of the 10 lane motorway for safety reasons. Responding to concerns expressed about takeaway delivery cyclists at a committee this week, she said efforts were being made to 'try and target deliveries on bikes going on places like the Kingston Bridge.' She told councillors: 'We are looking at putting up signage to restrict them going on the bridge. "I have even seen them myself – you are driving along and then there is a Just East driver next to you.' There have been various reports of risk-taking cyclists being seen on the busy bridge, with incidents reported to the police. Speaking at the environment and liveable neighbourhoods city policy committee, the officer said there had been an information campaign in George Square with leaflets handed out over the issues. The official was responding to points raised by councillor Anthony Carroll, asking about engagement with companies regarding delivery cyclists. Councillor Stephen Docherty told the committee how delivery E-bikes have been parked in the middle of the pavement on St Vincent Street – causing an obstruction. Responding the official said: 'I have seen that myself outside restaurants – I will take those points back for engagement with businesses.' The matters were discussed during a road safety update presented to the committee on Tuesday. Four people were killed on Glasgow's roads in 2024 compared to 14 in 2023. A total of 210 people were seriously injured last year – and 21 of them were children. A council report said: 'Since the unprecedented rise in fatal collisions recorded in 2023, there has been a significant improvement in road safety performance across Glasgow. The city is now back on track to achieve the Scottish Government's 2030 casualty reduction targets. It added: 'However, it is essential that we do not become complacent. Continued investment in road safety education, training, publicity, and engineering measures remains crucial as we work towards our Vision Zero target – a future where no one is killed or seriously injured on Glasgow's roads by 2030.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh reports decline in traffic crashes, deaths, serious injuries for fourth year in a row
The City of Pittsburgh reports a decline in traffic crashes, deaths and serious injuries on city streets for the fourth year in a row. Latest data from the Pennsylvania Crash Information Tool shows that total crashes on city and state-owned roadways in Pittsburgh decreased 17 percent in 2024, compared to 2023. City-owned streets alone have had over 700 fewer crashes compared to 2021, a spokesperson says. Meanwhile, crashes statewide have increased by .35 percent. Deaths and serious injuries from crashes on city streets have steadily declined over the past three years, the spokesperson says. While crashes involving pedestrians and bicyclists fell by 20 percent from 2024, these crashes are disproportionately fatal, the spokesperson says. The fourth year of declining incidents is being considered a major milestone in the city's Vision Zero initiative to end traffic fatalities and serious injuries. 'In Pittsburgh, we believe every life matters — no one should die just trying to get where they need to go," said Mayor Ed Gainey. 'For the fourth year in a row, crashes, injuries, and fatalities are down. That's no accident — it's because we've made safety a priority, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors. But we're not done. High-severity crashes are still hitting the same streets and the same communities. That's why we're doubling down — to make sure every Pittsburgher, in every neighborhood, can walk, bike, or drive without fear. This is about equity, justice, and saving lives.' In 2024, the Gainey administration increased the city's traffic calming budget by 136 percent to about $1.08 million, the spokesperson says. Additionally, over 50 safety and accessibility projects are planned in the city this year, with many targeting high-injury, low-income and high-pedestrian areas. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
North Dakota traffic fatalities hit 24-year low in 2024
Jun. 11—NORTH DAKOTA — In 2024, 89 drivers, passengers, motorcyclists and pedestrians were killed on North Dakota roads, 17 fewer than in 2023 and the lowest number of yearly fatalities recorded in more than two decades. "That 89 number is the lowest fatality count in 24 years," said Lauren Wahlman, safety public information program manager for the North Dakota Department of Transportation. "Normally, North Dakota is around the 100 mark for fatalities, so to see it drop to 89 is very encouraging." Fatalities have been on a fairly steady decrease since the statewide initiative Vision Zero was established in 2018, Wahlman said. That is, until 2023, when they rose to 106, which was eight more than 2022. She believes the decrease in 2024 can be attributed to a number of factors, but perhaps the most significant are the primary seat belt law going into effect in August 2023 and lower rates of impaired driving. There were 19 alcohol-related fatalities in 2024, compared to 33 in 2023, Wahlman said. Some toxicology reports are still pending, though, according to a May 27 Vision Zero press release. Transportation services like Lyft and Uber may be partly responsible for the decrease, Wahlman said. Also, the NDDOT's Vision Zero department has been working closely with law enforcement to carry out enforcement efforts that target behaviors such as driving under the influence. "Those types of enforcements, they're really getting law enforcement out there, and people are able to recognize it," Wahlman said. "So if they're driving down the road and they see more law enforcement presence, they're more likely to make sure that they're following the posted speed limits, wearing their seat belt and driving sober." In 2024, speed-related deaths decreased from 24 to 21, and pedestrian deaths were halved, from 10 to five. Fatalities involving unbelted vehicle occupants decreased from 37 to 30. Wearing a seat belt is the number one thing people can do to protect themselves while inside a motor vehicle, Wahlman said. "You can be the best driver out on the road — following posted speed limits, driving distraction free, driving sober — but if you're not wearing your seat belt, you can't predict what other drivers are going to do," she said. "If you do get involved in a crash, it's going to be your best defense to prevent a severe injury or a fatality." The primary seat belt law — which allows law enforcement to pull people over solely for not wearing a seat belt, and requires all vehicle passengers to wear them — has helped increase the number of people who comply, because they don't want to face a citation, Wahlman said. But it's also just becoming more of the norm; it's being talked about more, and younger generations are learning to buckle up from a young age. "We're really hoping that more of them are going to be wearing their seat belts and driving distraction free, driving sober, because we're really pushing this education at a younger level," Wahlman said. Though most categories saw a decrease in fatalities last year, two saw increases. Fatal lane departures rose from 52 to 57. "That has actually been a pretty steady increase for fatalities," Wahlman said. "A majority of our fatalities on our roads can be attributed to lane departure. So it's anytime that someone is leaving their intended lane of traffic." Lane departures can be caused by many things, and the reasons are often under reported, she said. Distracted, impaired and drowsy driving are some of the contributors. If someone survives a crash like this, they may not want to admit that they were distracted; if the crash ends in a fatality, it can be difficult to determine whether it was caused by some type of distraction. Motorcyclist deaths also increased in 2024, from 16 to 17, the release said. "We are seeing a pretty steady increase in motorcycle crashes and fatalities from year to year," Wahlman said. "That's been one category that's been consistently at the same level or increasing." Common contributors in these crashes are speed, inexperience and impairment, she said. Additionally, nearly 75% of fatal motorcycle crashes within the last five years involved a motorcyclist who was not wearing a helmet. Wahlman said the NDDOT is encouraging motorcyclists to wear appropriate safety gear and take a motorcycle safety course, even more than once, as it can be helpful to refresh their knowledge after a long winter likely spent not riding. Other motorists are also encouraged to be aware of motorcyclists and leave room for them on the roads. Vision Zero is a state initiative put in place in 2018 by then-Gov. Doug Burgum, the state Department of Transportation, the North Dakota Highway Patrol and the state Department of Health. Its goal, according to the Vision Zero website, is "to establish a culture of shared responsibility where motor vehicle fatalities and serious injuries are recognized as preventable and not tolerated. The mission is to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on North Dakota roadways."
