Zero traffic fatalities on County roadways. That’s the vision. It’s global. It’s local. It’s ambitious. And, it’s vitally important for everyone. Los Angeles County is launching its draft Vision Zero Action Plan to guide the first five years of this effort. It’s a plan with a role for everyone.

During the month of March, the public is encouraged to help review and provide comments to the Vision Zero Plan that is intended to be applied to unincorporated communities where local streets and roadways are managed by the County of Los Angeles.

With Vision Zero, traffic deaths and severe injuries are looked at through the lens of actions and behaviors that can be changed through engineering, education and enforcement. Vision Zero is nothing new. It’s a traffic safety initiative that began in Sweden in the 1990s that has grown to U.S. cities and counties over the past decade.

In 2017, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors embraced bringing Vision Zero to unincorporated communities and roadways, where about 80 of those deaths and 500 of those injuries occur each year.

The draft plan identifies actions aimed at enhancing County processes, trainings and practices. It outlines how County agencies will work together and with the public to enhance roadway safety and improve the health and wellbeing of the unincorporated communities.

Public officials will be holding community meetings to discuss the draft plan.

Download the draft plan online at: VisionZeroLACounty.com  which includes a user-friendly form for public comment. Copies are also available at LA County Public Library branches and other locations. Comment may be also submitted by calling toll-free   (833) VZ4-LACO (833) 894-5226, by email to VisionZero@pw.lacounty.gov or by U.S. Mail to LA County Public Works (Vision Zero), P.O. Box 1460, Alhambra, CA 91802.

The 30-day public comment period continues through March 31.

DID YOU KNOW? 

• Traffic deaths are on the rise in unincorporated Los Angeles County. Between 2013 and 2017, traffic-related deaths increased by nearly 28 percent on unincorporated County roadways.  During this time, 383 people lost their lives and 1,648 people were severely injured.
• Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children aged 5 to 14 years and the third leading cause of premature death overall.
• About 10 percent of all fatal and severe injury collisions on unincorporated County roadways were hit and run collisions, meaning that the driver did not stop to render aid or report the collision.
• Fifty percent of all fatal and severe injury collisions occurred on approximately 3.7 percent (125 miles) of County-maintained roadways.
• Although people walking were only involved in nine percent of all collisions (including those resulting in minor, severe, and fatal injuries) on unincorporated County roadways from 2013 to 2017, they were involved in 20 percent of the fatal and severe injury collisions.
• Similarly, people riding motorcycles were involved in only 8 percent of injury collisions overall yet were involved in 27 percent of fatal and severe injury collisions.