Promising Local Practice in Road Safety: A Primer for Safer Streets

The U.S. faces a growing road safety crisis, with 46,000 fatalities in 2021, a nine percent increase from the previous year, particularly affecting marginalized, low-income communities. To combat this, the federal government is implementing a National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) that incorporates a Safe Systems Approach. Local initiatives, like Vision Zero and Complete Streets, are being adopted in cities such as Kansas City, Somerville, and Tampa, with a focus on reducing fatalities and injuries through safer designs, traffic calming measures, and community engagement. This document examines these case studies, among others.