Vision Zero
Traffic collisions are not accidents.
When councillors and staff talk to Kitchener residents, one of the most common issues raised are concerns about speeding and road safety. We want to make roads, sidewalks and trails in Kitchener safer for all ages, abilities and modes of transportation.
Vision Zero is a new way of thinking about creating safer roads. Our vision is to reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries to zero. This concept started in Sweden in 1997 and has become popular around the world.
Here’s how Vision Zero strategies approach road safety:
- focus on reducing fatal and serious injury collisions
- collisions are preventable and no preventable loss of life is acceptable
- human mistakes and errors should be expected and anticipated
- our transportation network should be designed to account for human mistakes and errors
- road safety is a shared responsibility among the people who design, maintain, enforce rules on and use roads and intersections
- proactively address issues before collisions
Our Vision Zero strategy offers guidance on building and designing roads, supporting law enforcement, educating and engaging the public, and finding solutions to the specific concerns in our neighbourhoods.
Vision Zero dashboard
Visit our Vision Zero dashboard to find collision statistics and our progress on Vision Zero.
Stay Informed
To get updates about this project, add your email to the ’Stay Informed’ box and click ‘Subscribe’.
Safe Driving Tips
What are your best driving and street safety tips?
Collisions can be prevented when drivers make safer choices. Learn more
Tell us your examples of what to do and what not to do while behind the wheel. We will share your tips for everyone to learn from. Before you start, here are a few guidelines:
- Please don’t post images that might identify other people. A photo of you, objects, crowds, or backs and turned heads are fine. But a picture of other people facing the camera is not.
- Please don’t include personal details (examples: last name, address, phone number, license plate, medical history).
- All posts are reviewed for moderation. Be sure your post meets our etiquette and moderation policy.
Share your tips
Give your post a title and then add your comments, photo, or video. Here are some suggestions to help you get you started:
- What do you do while driving that you wish other drivers would do too?
- What is an example of a driving mistake you’ve seen or made before?
- Have you ever experienced a “close call” while driving? How might that have been prevented?
- When you are tempted to speed or drive aggressively, what thoughts might motivate you to slow down and drive safely?
Videos
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Speeding doesn’t get you there any faster. We’re working to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities caused by traffic collisions.
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Learn about pedestrian crossovers – places where pedestrians have the right of way. We’re working to eliminate serious injuries and fatalities caused by traffic collisions.
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Traffic collisions are not accidents. They always have a cause, which means they can be prevented. We all have a role to play in making Kitchener a Vision Zero community.
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Traffic collisions are not accidents. They can be prevented. This video is the first in a series of three developed to promote awareness of the strategy and improve driving behaviour.
FAQs
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Vision Zero FAQ
- What is Vision Zero?
- How is Vision Zero different from traditional road safety approaches?
- Isn’t it impossible to prevent all serious injuries and fatalities on the road?
- How can Vision Zero reduce the number of traffic related serious injuries and deaths?
- What changes should we expect on streets as a result of this project?
- How do you decide where to install road safety improvements?
- How do other City safety programs fit into the Vision Zero Strategy?
- Who are you working with on this plan?
- Why does Vision Zero focus on active modes of transportation (walking and cycling)?
- Will Vision Zero make it hard to get around the city?
- How can I get involved/stay updated?
Who's Listening
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Phone 519-741-2345 Email faranak.hosseini@kitchener.ca