In many cities, roads were mainly designed to help cars move quickly. But now, cities are realizing that this might not be the best idea. While other countries have fewer accidents each year, in the U.S., accidents are increasing. Convincing drivers to think about others can be hard. But if it saves millions of dollars, maybe they’ll pay attention.
According to The New York Times, New York City started a program called Vision Zero in 2014. This program aimed to make streets safer for pedestrians. And it worked. Not only did fewer people get hurt in accidents, but it also saved Medicaid over $90 million in just five years. This shows that making streets safer can also save a lot of money.
Between 2014 and 2019, there was a 30% decrease in traffic injuries. This means fewer people had bad days because of accidents. And it also means less traffic and fewer people needing help because of accidents. This program didn’t just help everyone; it especially helped low-income and Black residents, who saw the biggest drop in injuries.
Researchers wanted to see if these changes only helped with small accidents or if they also prevented big ones. They compared data from New York City with data from nearby areas that didn’t make similar changes. They found that making streets safer not only saved money but also reduced serious accidents.
While there was a slight increase in accidents in 2017 and 2018, it wasn’t just happening in New York City. Last year, New York City had the second-lowest number of road deaths since they started keeping track in 1910. This shows that making streets safer is the right thing to do, whether it’s to protect people or to save money.
