The City Where Traffic Fatalities Vanished
8 days ago
- #traffic safety
- #urban planning
- #Vision Zero
- Hoboken, New Jersey, has had zero traffic fatalities for nine years, defying the typical statistics for a city of its size.
- The Vision Zero movement, which believes traffic deaths are preventable, cites Hoboken and Helsinki as success stories.
- Mayor Ravi Bhalla led Hoboken's traffic safety initiatives, inspired by personal experiences and a pedestrian death during his time as a city council member.
- A five-year analysis revealed that 40% of serious or fatal crashes involved bikers or pedestrians, with 88% occurring at intersections.
- Hoboken implemented physical deterrents like plastic posts and repurposed spaces to improve visibility and safety at intersections.
- Public engagement and pilot programs were key to gaining community support and testing infrastructure changes.
- Hoboken saw an 18% reduction in injury crashes and a 62% drop in serious injuries after extensive road upgrades in 2022.
- Challenges remain, including fluctuating injury rates, limited funding, and reliance on delayed police crash data.
- Hoboken's multipronged approach offers lessons for other cities, emphasizing community involvement and layered safety strategies.
- New Mayor Emily Jabbour aims for zero traffic-related injuries or deaths by 2030, continuing Hoboken's innovative safety efforts.